Moldova: Church leaders warned against political involvement
Moldova's Central Electoral Commission (CEC) has warned that clergy and religious denominations are prohibited from engaging in political or electoral activities.
The commission says the use of places of worship for political ends could undermine public trust in democratic institutions and violate the spirit of the law and moral principles.
It stressed that, under Moldovan law, the church is separate from the state, and the state does not intervene in the religious activities of denominations. The CEC notes that representatives of religious denominations have participated in political and electoral actions in previous elections and during the current campaign, sometimes inside or next to places of worship.
The CEC has also asked ecclesiastical authorities to discourage and sanction any acts of political promotion, in line with canon law, saying such actions are contrary to Christian teachings and morals.
In a press release, the commission appealed to all religious leaders in Moldova to focus on their spiritual mission and help maintain peace and harmony, leaving political and electoral processes to the state's rules and institutions.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
