​CITIZENS DEMAND TO LEVY TAXES ONTO MOLDOVAN METROPOLITAN CHURCH

A group of Moldovan citizens addressed to the State Tax Service, the National Labor Inspectorate, the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Justice Ministry with a proposal to start levying taxes from the Moldovan Metropolitan Church for trading in religious cult objects and for providing of paid services.

Lawyer Doina-Ioana Straisteanu said at the Tuesday’s press conference that a petition was registered on the website http://www.petitieonline.com/cerem_impozitarea_bisericii_ortodoxe_implicat_activ_in_politic, in which there is a demand to state institutions to check whether the Moldovan Metropolitan Church is abiding the law regulations concerning its activities and to start levying taxes from it for trading and providing of paid services.

According to her, such a decision was taken after statements made by a number of Moldovan church representatives, including Metropolitan Vladimir, who are actively participating in Moldova’s political life.

“They are showing a special dissatisfaction about the church’s involvement in election campaign of Party of Socialists’ candidate Igor Dodon, which is expressed in actions of an evident active support and favoring from the side of the Moldovan Metropolitan Church. This is not the single case, when church figures are participating in election campaign; the same happened during the 2014 local elections, when Metropolitan Vladimir supported one of candidates. Such actions of the Metropolitan Church are leading to society’s split”, the lawyer said.

She reminded that according to the legislation, religious cults and their representatives ought to refrain from public expression or demonstration of their political preferences and protection of any political party or socio-political organization.

“Namely on the basis of this law, the Orthodox Church was exempted from payment of taxes to state and local budgets. However, the Metropolitan Church does not abide this law. Besides, churches are selling different church accessories, without even issuing bills to people; also there are tariffs on certain services. If the Church is intervening in policy, it is using the religious cult, thus it receives profit from this. So, let them pay taxes”, Straisteanu said.

Activist Ion Andronache said that the Metropolitan Church’s statements about the fact that an unmarried woman may not be president, as well as about Syrians, who came to Moldova, running from war, may damage the Orthodoxy. Such statements are implausible.

Another activist Radion Gavriloi said that all the church servants are working without labor books and mandatory health insurance policies. A question appears: what pension they be receiving and on which basis? How will they be treating without a medical policy?.

The petition has already been signed by more than 9.5 thousand people.