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The function of the Religious Affairs Department is to coordinate the cooperation between the State and religious associations on the issues related to social, educational, legal, and cultural spheres. The Department coordinates also the questions related to church property, and analyzes the religion related issues in Estonia.

On October 4th 1990 the Estonian Government established the Board of Religious Affairs at the Ministry of Culture. In 1993 the Board was shifted from the Ministry of Culture to the Ministry of the Interior as it was the Ministry responsible for the Church-State relations during the pre-Soviet era. In 1996 the Board of Religious Affairs became the Religious Affairs Department.

The objectives of the Department – to coordinate the relations between the State and different religious associations – have not changed since it’s establishment in 1990.

The main objectives of the Religious Affairs Department are:

1) coordination of the arrangements related to religious associations;
2) arrangements related to the church-property administrated on the basis of agreements;
3) conduct research on religious life.