The Russian Orthodox Church reported on mass interrogations of Orthodox clerics in Moldova

Many clergy of the Orthodox Church of Moldova have been interrogated by the Moldovan authorities in recent days. This was announced on April 18 by Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, adviser to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, in an interview with RIA Novosti.

According to him, Chisinau has increased pressure on the country's Orthodox Church because it wants to destroy its relations with the Moscow Patriarchate and with the Orthodox world as a whole.

"On the same days, dozens of clerics from various dioceses of the Orthodox Church of Moldova were interrogated. Apparently, in the understanding of the Moldovan authorities, freedom of religion exists only for those who go to the "correct" church of the so-called Metropolitan of Bessarabia, a division of the Romanian Patriarchate. This is the way to Europe," Balashov said.

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Bishop Markell, who was on his way to Israel for the Holy Fire, told Izvestia on April 17 that he had been detained at passport control at Chisinau airport. There, his documents were seized without explanation. According to the priest, all this was done purposefully so that he would not catch the flight.

On the same day, Ilan Shor, leader of the Pobeda opposition bloc, called the detention of Archbishop Markell a vile and cowardly act by the Moldovan authorities. He added that the authorities are simply afraid of the church, since it is she who enjoys the trust of the people.