The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice; however, the law includes restrictions that at times inhibit the activities of some religious groups.
There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice; however, the law includes restrictions that at times inhibit the activities of some religious groups.
There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report. The Government continued to uphold its earlier decisions to deny some groups registration. A number of minority religious groups in the separatist region of Transnistria that is not controlled by the Government continued to be denied registration and were subjected to official harassment.
The generally amicable relationship among religions in society contributed to religious freedom; however, disputes among various branches of the Christian Orthodox faith continued, and there were some reports of Baptists and Jehovah's Witnesses experiencing harassment from local town councils, and Orthodox priests and adherents.
The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government as part of its overall policy to promote human rights. The U.S. Embassy specifically raised concerns about some religious groups' persistent registration difficulties to the highest levels of the Government.
Section I. Religious Demography
The country has an area of approximately 13,000 square miles, and its population, according to preliminary figures from the 2004 census, is approximately 3.9 million, including Transnistria. The Migration Department estimates that between 500,000 and 1 million citizens have left the country to work abroad since independence in 1992. The most common destination countries include Russia, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Greece, and more recently Great Britain and Ireland.
The predominant religion is Christian Orthodox. More than 90 percent of the population nominally belongs to one of two Orthodox denominations. According to the State Service for Religions (SSR), the Moldovan Orthodox Church (MOC) has 1,224 parishes, and the Bessarabian Orthodox Church (BOC) has 199 parishes. The BOC was formed in 1992 when a number of priests broke away from the MOC, and was only officially recognized in 2002, after years of being denied recognition. In addition, followers of the Old Rite Russian Orthodox Church (Old Believers) make up approximately 3.6 percent of the population. The religious traditions of the Orthodox Churches are entwined with the culture and patrimony of the country. Many self-professed atheists routinely celebrate religious holidays, cross themselves, light candles and kiss icons if local tradition and the occasion demand.
Adherents of other faiths include Roman Catholics, Baptists, Pentecostals, Seventh-day Adventists, Muslims, Jehovah's Witnesses, Baha'is, Jews, followers of Reverend Moon, Molokans (a Russian group), Messianic Jews (who believe that Jesus was the Messiah), Lutherans, Presbyterians, Hare Krishnas, and some other charismatic Christian and evangelical Christian groups. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) has two congregations, with a total of approximately 250 members. According to the most recent statistics from the Israeli Cultural Center in Chisinau, the Jewish community has approximately 25,000 members, including approximately 15,000 in Chisinau; 2,500 in Balti and surrounding areas; 1,600 in Tiraspol; 1,000 in Benderi; and 4,000 in small towns.
Foreign missionaries represent many faiths and denominations.
Section II. Status of Religious Freedom
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice; however, the 1992 Law on Religions, which codifies religious freedom, contains restrictions that inhibit the activities of unregistered religious groups. Although the law was amended in 2002, many of the restrictions remain in place. The law provides for freedom of religious practice, including each person's right to profess his or her religion in any form. It also protects the confidentiality of the confessional, allows denominations to establish associations and foundations, and states that the Government may not interfere in the religious activities of denominations. The law specifies that "in order to organize and function," religious organizations must be registered with the Government, and unregistered groups may not own property, engage employees, or obtain space in public cemeteries in their own names.
There is no state religion; however, the MOC receives favored treatment from the Government. The Metropolitan of Chisinau and all Moldova has a diplomatic passport. Other high-ranking MOC officials also reportedly have diplomatic passports issued by the Government.
The procedures for registering a religious organization are the same for all groups. In 2002, Parliament adopted amendments to the Law on Religions. In order to register, a religious organization must present a declaration of creation, by-laws, and an explanation of its basic religious beliefs to the SSR. The SSR enters the religious organization into the Register of Religions within 30 working days. Under the new procedures, at the request of the SSR, a court can annul the recognition of the religious organization if the organization "carries out activities that harm the independence, sovereignty, integrity, and security of the Republic of Moldova, the public order, or are connected with political activities." The amendments also prohibit religious organizations from including in their by-laws any provisions that would violate the Constitution or any other laws.
The Government has recognized and registered 21 religious organizations, many of which are umbrella organizations with sub-entities throughout the country. Although the 2002 amendments to the Law on Religions were intended to simplify the registration process and make the process essentially automatic, the SSR continues to deny the registration of the Mormons, the Spiritual Organization of Muslims, the Central Muslim Spiritual Board of Moldova and the True Orthodox Church of Moldov