Supporting the aggression of russia: Estonia will not extend residence permit for russian church leader

Supporting the aggression of russia: Estonia will not extend residence permit for russian church leader

Kyiv  •  UNN

January 18 2024, 10:59 AM • 30858 views

Estonia refused to extend the residence permit of Metropolitan Yevgeny, head of the Estonian Metropolis of the russian Orthodox Church, because of his support for russian aggression in Ukraine.

Estonia will not extend the residence permit of the head of the Estonian Metropolitanate of the russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Yevgeny, so he will have to leave the country next month. This was reported by the Estonian Police and Border Guard Department , Delfi, UNN reported. 

Details

It is noted that the head of the Estonian Metropolis of the russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Yevgeny, known in the world as Valery Reshetnikov, lived in the country on the basis of a fixed-term residence permit for a total of four years. He was issued a residence permit valid for two years. 

The last extension of Reshetnikov's residence permit was two years ago, shortly before the outbreak of full-scale war in Ukraine. 

Reshetnikov, a Russian citizen, is due to expire on February 6. Upon expiration of the residence permit, the Russian will have to leave Estonia.

The Police and Border Guard Department has already sent him a decision refusing to extend his residence permit.

The state decided to refuse to extend Reshetnikov's residence permit because in his public activities, including public speeches, he supports the actions of the aggressor and has not changed his line of behavior, despite the warnings he had received earlier

- explained Indrek Aru, head of the Border Guard Bureau of the Põhia Prefecture.

Addendum

The agency explained that law enforcement officers  had repeatedly held conversations with Reshetnikov and explained to him that he should stop justifying the military actions of Russia and the Kremlin regime in his public activities. 

Despite the warnings, Reshetnikov did not change his rhetoric, which does not correspond to the values and is not suitable for the legal framework of Estonia, the department said, so Reshetnikov was recognized as posing a threat to the security of the state.

Recall

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has warned that russia could pose a military threat to NATO's eastern borders within three to five years.

She emphasized preparing for such a scenario, increasing defense spending, and supporting the strategy of "deterring" russia.