NON-ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS IN MOLDOVA: HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY CONDITIONS
Igor Kotler
Religious intolerance in Moldova must be understood within the broader historical, political, and social context of a society in which Orthodox Christianity has traditionally occupied a dominant position and religious affiliation remains closely associated with national identity, cultural heritage, and political loyalty. Baptists, Pentecostals, Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and other non-Orthodox religious communities have historically encountered hostility, social exclusion, intimidation, and interference with their religious activities. Although Moldova formally guarantees freedom of religion and has established legal protections for religious minorities, these safeguards have not eliminated deeply rooted prejudices, the influence of religious majoritarianism, or the difficulties that members of minority religious communities may encounter in obtaining effective protection.
