Expert: If believers protested, there would be no anti-church laws

Ruslan Bortnik. Photo: persona.top

Ruslan Bortnik, Director of the Ukrainian Institute for Policy Analysis and Management, on the air of the Right to Faith program on First Cossack youtube channel, said that if believers actively protested, there would be no anti-church actions from the authorities.

Ruslan Bortnik commented on the words of the host of the program, Yan Taksiur, who said that now more and more speakers of the UOC begin to talk about the experience of believers in Montenegro, where up to half of the country's population attended religious processions, and as a result, the anti-church bill was abolished.

“If people who want to honor the memory of the Great Patriotic War (WWII – Ed.), who want to speak their native language and go to churches they believe right for themselves, would go to protests and rallies, none of this would have happened (adoption of anti-church laws in Ukraine – Ed.)," said Bortnik.

“Once the public enemies are exhausted, sooner or later they will come for you, they will go from door to door. If you want to live a normal life, take an active political position. If you are afraid to like on Facebook, what are you hoping for?” he added.

As the UOJ previously reported, Metropolitan Varsonofy told the youth about the history of the UOC and the current persecution.

Read also

The oldest church in Kyiv celebrated its patronal feast

Metropolitan Viktor led the festive service at the Elijah Church in the capital.

His Beatitude led the celebrations for the 510th anniversary of the Lavra skete in Horodok

In the Rivne Diocese, the Primate of the UOC consecrated an image of the Mother of God restored by the sisters.

Religious Jews attack Armenian monastery in Jerusalem

Police detained six suspects following an attack on St. James Monastery in the Old City.

OCU cleric personally cuts locks during seizure of UOC church in Cherniavka

An OCU cleric dismissed the parish rector's request for copies of meeting records, calling him an "enemy of the people."

Oldest UOC church in Sumy marks its patronal feast

Metropolitan Yevlohiy led celebrations at the city’s oldest parish, where the wonderworking Pustynno-Hlynska Icon of the Mother of God was brought for the feast.

Hundreds of faithful in Bulgaria welcome Hawaiian Icon of the Mother of God

Patriarch Daniel led the ceremonial welcome for the myrrh-streaming icon in Sofia and thanked the ROCOR Synod for arranging its visit.