MPs in the Czech Republic demand: Investigate the Orthodox churches connected to the Kremlin

It was stated that the Russian Orthodox Church in the Czech Republic is an extension of the Moscow Patriarchate, closely connected to the Russian state and led by Patriarch Kirill, already sanctioned by the Czech government for his public support for Russia's war in Ukraine, reports Euraktiv.

Earlier this month, Czech authorities expelled Russian Orthodox priest Nikolai Lischenko, accusing him of establishing influence structures to support Russian interests in the EU.

The board, on its initiative, recommended that the intelligence services investigate this threat and invited the Czech Minister of Culture, Martin Baksa, to investigate the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church in the Czech lands and if found that these churches are operating outside the law, Baksa should consider their deregistration.

The Czech Ministry of Culture previously found no reason to revoke the registration of these churches after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to the portal.

"I do not consider the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate to be a church, and its representatives to be clergy. It is part of the Kremlin's repressive machinery in Russia's influence operations. That’s how they should be treated in the Czech Republic, and the rest of Europe," said the Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavski.

The Russian Orthodox Church did not respond to the Board's appeal, but the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands lodged a strong objection.

"We strongly oppose the unprecedented disparagement of our church by politicians and ministers in their efforts to declare our church ideological followers," said spokesman Tomas Jarolym and added that the church will try to resolve the issue at the level of the Ecumenical Council.