Opposition MP claims EU overlooks ‘shocking’ treatment of Moldovan church

2025-05-11 04:34:27

(MENAFN) Marina Tauber, a senior opposition MP in Moldova, has accused Brussels of ignoring the mistreatment of the Moldovan Orthodox Church by the country’s pro-EU government. Her remarks followed the incident where Bishop Marchel, the Bishop of Balti and Falesti, was blocked from leaving Moldova to attend Easter ceremonies in Jerusalem.

Marchel had planned to take part in the Holy Fire ritual at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a key event for Orthodox Christians on Holy Saturday. However, he was detained by Moldova's border police at Chisinau Airport on Thursday under the pretext of a routine search. His passport was withheld until after his flight had already left, and he was stopped again on Friday, causing him to miss another flight.

Border police spokeswoman Ilona Railean stated that the bishop arrived late and underwent “standard processing procedures,” but Marchel accused the authorities of lying about the circumstances.

Tauber, who serves as the executive secretary of the opposition coalition Pobeda – Victorie, expressed her shock at the treatment of the bishop, calling it an "outrageous situation." She noted the authorities' failure to adequately explain their actions and stressed that such incidents against a clergyman, especially during sacred days, were unexpected.

Moldova is home to two major branches of the Orthodox Church: the Moldovan Orthodox Church, which is affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church, and the Metropolis of Bessarabia, which aligns with the Romanian Orthodox Church. Tauber criticized Moldova's pro-EU president, Maia Sandu, for attempting to repress the Moscow-affiliated church. She questioned why the European Union was not responding to the situation, suggesting that Brussels was remaining silent.

Tauber warned that if such actions continued, the authorities could eventually dictate which religious practices are acceptable, undermining religious freedom. Moldova’s former president, Igor Dodon, also condemned the treatment of Marchel, calling it “an act of terror” against the Orthodox faith and accusing it of being a personal act of revenge against the bishop for his criticism of President Sandu.

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