Police label incident at church in central Moldova village as provocation; details on dispute over usage rights

The Police of Moldova say that the actions around the Dormition of Mother of God church in the Dereneu village, central Calarasi district, represent “forms of provocation, meant to create divisions in society by using a sensitive instrument – religion.” Law-enforcement officers urge the public not to involve the police in provocative actions that could damage the institution’s image.

The police recall that the same persons who are now expressing dissatisfaction allegedly forced their way into the place of worship in 2018, when the then priest, a representative of the Metropolitan See of Bessarabia, was reportedly removed from the church by force.

“This fact led to a multi-year legal dispute, which has now ended with the decision of the Supreme Court of Justice, clearly establishing that this property belongs to the Culture Ministry and is given for use to the Metropolitan See of Bessarabia,” a press release by Police reads.

According to the police, the church was not locked by law-enforcers, as is being claimed in the public space.

“We clarify that the church was not locked by the police, as has been alleged; it was blocked from the inside by the priest representing the Metropolitan See of Chisinau and All Moldova (together with his wife and three minor children),” the Police specify.

At a news conference on February 2, the lawyer of the Metropolitan See of Bessarabia, Constantin Turuta, provided details on the church’s legal status. He said that, on November 5, 2019, the Culture Ministry and the Metropolitan See of Bessarabia concluded a free-use agreement for the building for a term of 50 years, and on the same day, the handover-receipt act to the religious community of Dereneu was signed. The documents were registered in the Real Estate Register on August 3, 2020, which, according to the lawyer, confirms the lawful right of use of the Metropolitan See of Bessarabia and of the local religious community.

Turuta noted that the Metropolitan See of Moldova had initiated a court action in January 2019, requesting recognition of its right of use over the church; however, the claim was irrevocably rejected by the Chisinau Court of Appeal on June 28, 2023, and the ruling was upheld by the Supreme Court of Justice in a decision dated June 12, 2025. “Irrevocably and incontestably today, the Metropolitan See of Moldova does not hold a right of use over the church in Dereneu,” the lawyer stated.

He also described two recent episodes. On January 26, Alexandru Popa, appointed as priest by the Metropolitan See of Moldova, together with a group of parishioners, allegedly obstructed access for representatives of the Metropolitan See of Bessarabia and parish priest Marin Florinel to the church. Later, on January 28, the door of the building was reportedly damaged, with the hinges cut and the lock changed. According to the lawyer, Popa then barricaded himself inside the church, where he is allegedly staying together with minor children.

According to the ruling by Supreme Court of Justice of June 21, 2024, the right of free use and possession of the building is lawfully established on the basis of the 2019 contract, and any contrary claims have been rejected as unfounded. The supreme court thus confirmed the irrevocable nature of the right of use held by the Metropolitan See of Bessarabia, putting an end to the multi-year dispute over this place of worship.

On February 1, 2026, more local residents who oppose the initiative to transfer the parish to the Metropolitan See of Bessarabia attempted to force their way into the church. The police restricted their access, on the basis of the irrevocable decision by the Supreme Court of Justice.

The Police emphasize that their mission is to ensure public order and the safety of citizens, and they urge the population not to involve law-enforcers in provocative actions that could damage the institution’s image.