Supreme Court to rule on constitutionality of churches law

The Supreme Court will announce its decision on Monday regarding President Alar Karis's request to declare amendments to the churches and congregations law unconstitutional. The ruling will be commented on at 3 p.m. by Interior Minister Igor Taro and religious affairs adviser Ringo Ringvee.

The Supreme Court will announce its decision on Monday regarding the constitutionality of amendments to the churches and congregations law. At the centre of the dispute is President Alar Karis's request, in which the head of state asked the highest court to assess whether the amendments adopted by parliament are consistent with the Estonian Constitution.

At 3 p.m., Interior Minister Igor Taro and Ringo Ringvee, adviser at the religious affairs and civil society department, will address the public to comment on the court ruling. Their remarks will clarify what consequences the Supreme Court's position will have for the government and religious communities.

The amendments to the churches and congregations law have sparked broad public debate about religious freedom and the relationship between the state and the church. President Karis believed that the adopted amendments may contradict fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution, and therefore turned to the Supreme Court.