CHISINAU, Moldova - Following international pressure, Moldova has recognized a branch of the Orthodox Church which is loyal to the church in Romania, officials said Tuesday.
The official registration of the Bessarabian Metropolitan Church, which occurred in July, was mandated by the Council of Europe, the organization based in Strasbourg, France, which calls on countries to respect and defend human rights. Moldova is a member of the Council of Europe.
"We have always felt discriminated against," Father Ioan Ciuntu, a spokesman for the church told The Associated Press. "Now we are ready to collaborate with our Russian brothers."
The church was founded in 1992, shortly after Moldova declared independence, but local authorities had refused to legalize it. The main church in Moldova is loyal to the Russian Orthodox Church.
Moldova was part of Romania until 1940 when it was annexed to the Soviet Union. There were fears that some people wanted to reunite with Romania after the republic declared its independence in 1991.
Although the unofficial Orthodox clergy were allowed to officiate in churches, there were constant tensions between the church and the main Orthodox Church loyal to Moscow. Its bishops claimed that a separate church could lead to animosity among believers.
Some 10 to 15 percent of Orthodox faithful belong to the Romanian branch, and the rest belong to the main Orthodox Church.
Almost 90 percent of Moldova's 4.5 million population are Christian Orthodox.
Moldova is located between Romania and Ukraine, and two-thirds of its people are of Romanian descent. It has a large Russian-speaking minority, mainly in Chisinau and the breakaway region of Trans-Dniester in the east.