The Synod of the Moldovan Orthodox Church is condemning “pressures and threats” against the decision to collect signatures for a referendum on the introduction of mandatory religion classes in the school curricula. “It is claimed that the Church's support of the initiative to introduce Basic Orthodoxy courses in the national curriculum is a 'problem' to the Government, some party leaders even demanding the 'dismissal' of the Metropolitan Bishop of Chisinau and Entire Moldova, intervening with 'lectures' and 'admonition' addressed to the Church”, the Synod said in a public statement, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. The Synod is supporting the intention to create a new political party of Christian Orthodox orientation by the group championing religion in schools, which is headed by the former chief of the Moldovan intelligence service Valeriu Pasat. At the same time, the Synod states that the Orthodox Church shall decide by itself when, how and for what reasons to get involved in the political process. “The centuries-old history of our Orthodox people has seen a great deal of examples where such involvement of the Church had beneficial impact, putting pressure on politicians to adjust their decisions to the vital necessities and interests of the people; so it was and so it shall further be”, the statement reads. The Synod has reasoned that the intention to create a new political party stems from the will to give the country's political landscape a breath of fresh air, a perspective which opens the path toward better cooperation between the Church and the State for the sake of the Orthodox people, in conformity with its morals and traditions. The statement was signed by Metropolitan Vladimir of Chisinau and Entire Moldova; Bishop Sava of Tiraspol and Dubasari; Bishop Anatolie of Cahul and Comrat; Vicar Petru of Chisinau and Entire Moldova; and Bishop Marchel of Balti and Falesti. The Chisinau Court of Appeals on Tuesday, June 15, reversed the decision of the Central Election Committee that authorized the group headed by Pasat to collect signatures for the referendum. The decision of the election authority was appealed by a group promoting secularism which includes a number of civil society leaders.