Expert: Pressure on UOC will increase due to martial law

Political expert Andrei Zolotarev

The introduction of martial law will lead to increased pressure on the UOC, said political expert Andrei Zolotarev in a special commentary for the UOJ.

According to him, today the authorities are trying to force the UOC to good behavior and join this political project, the SLC, which the President talks so much of.

“We remember how during the Synod (the Bishops' Council of the UOC –– Ed.), the President cried “What canons?”, the expert noted. “But still the canons turned out to be more important for people who are true believers. Therefore, I think for our President, if he needed it, he would create a single local synagogue. But, since it didn’t work the easy way, the President decided to do it the hard way. They have already released the bull terriers that started – as we can see in the Lvov region – to write the graffiti ‘Down with the Moscow priest!’, ‘The Agency of the FSB,’ etc.”

Zolotarev also recalled that the Ministry of Culture has taken an inventory of the property in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra for the first time in 30 years.

“And then went heavy artillery – the SBU. We understand very well that it performs the functions of the secret police, such an inquisition of the Ukrainian government and the current President. I’m surprised why the SBU does not respond to outright discrimination when politicians provoke religious hatred as if it does not concern it. But for some reason, it found the brochure “Answers and questions” at Vladyka Pavel’s, and this is ridiculous. As I think, the SBU was involved in the same dirty story. In fact, in the place of the next President, I would also think well if the country needs such a security service that does not shun any means ... I do not see a fundamental difference between the NKVD, the KGB, the SBU precisely because they are people who, as Butusov sang, ‘guys with a pimply conscience’", said the analyst.

As experts explained earlier, the introduction of martial law in Ukraine does not restrict the right to freedom of religion but limits the right to street religious events or processions. In turn, the Director of the Department for Religious Affairs of the Ministry of Culture Andrei Yurash said that the conflict in the Kerch Strait will inspire community groups to speed up the implementation of the project of the Local Church in Ukraine.

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