Novinsky: Martial law will enable authorities to seize temples

MP of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Vadim Novinsky

The introduction of martial law can push radical forces to take an action against the Church, said Verkhovna Rada’s MP Vadim Novinsky. The emergency measures that were applied by the state authorities affected mainly those regions of Ukraine in which “the UOC positions are strong,” the Parliamentarian said on Facebook.

“If the authorities receive at least some encouraging signal from Istanbul regarding the Tomos, nothing can stop the regime’s minions in their desire to seize the temples and dramatically redraw the confessional map,” he wrote. “Martial law gives them such an opportunity, in spite of Petro Poroshenko’s assurances that civil rights will not be violated, and the state will not interfere in the affairs of the Church.”

The MP promised to exercise constant control over the observance of the rights and freedoms of citizens in the territory of ten regions in which martial law was introduced. He intends to promptly inform international organizations and diplomatic missions about the facts of violations found.

On November 26, Andrey Yurash, director of the Department for Religions and Nationalities of the Ministry of Culture, said that the conflict in the Kerch Strait would inspire public groups to speed up the implementation of the project of the Local Church in Ukraine.

On November 27, the former Minister of Ukraine for Family, Youth and Sports, former representative of the President of Ukraine for the rights of the child, MP from the Opposition Bloc, Yuriy Pavlenko, shared his fears that through the imposition of martial law they want to intimidate people who disagree with the authorities' attempts to get autocephaly.

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