Former Narva Mayor Raik Criticizes Prayer Breakfast at City Hall — ERR News
In Estonia, former Narva mayor Katri Raik criticized a prayer breakfast scheduled for October 15 at the city hall. She now leads the opposition Respekt faction in the city council and considers the event political, saying that church and government are being mixed, ERR News reports.
Organizers and costs
The event, called Palvushommik, or “Prayer Morning,” is being organized by Dmitry Andreyev, pastor of Narva’s Christian community; Artur Põld, senior pastor of the Estonian Methodist Church congregation in Jõhvi; and Alexander Gurkin, Bishop Lazar of the Estonian Christian Orthodox Church. The church changed its name in September 2024; it was previously called the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.
Andreyev wrote on social media that the event was initiated amid the political situation in the city in order to unite different political forces. According to him, all city council members and senior officials were invited, and budget funds will not be used for renting the venue, a piano, or other expenses.
Positions of city authorities
City council chairman Urbo Vaarmann confirmed that he had proposed holding such an event, referring to the experience of Tartu and other cities. According to him, the city is not organizing or funding the event, and the council office only forwarded invitations to council members.
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Narva Mayor Jaan Toots said that the city had provided the venue for rent under general terms. At the same time, Andreyev thanked Vaarmann and Toots for their willingness to consider covering the costs from the city budget. Toots also denied that the event was political and said he did not know about its alleged inclusion in the coalition agreement, as Raik had claimed.
Raik said that the idea of a prayer breakfast had been included in the coalition agreement of the Centre Party and Plan B. She also said that she would not take part in the event because, in her view, it could increase tensions in Narva.
Ilmo Au, an adviser to the Estonian Interior Ministry’s Department of Religious Affairs and Civil Society, noted that the decision on using local government premises for religious or other events is made by the municipality itself. The ministry does not object to an ecumenical event but recommends also involving representatives of other Narva communities.
