MP who insults UOC believers is incompetent, blogger says
Blogger Valentyna Ilina reminded MP Bobrovska of her duty to protect the rights of all Ukrainian citizens, including UOC believers.
Blogger Valentyna Ilina blamed Ukrainian MP Solomiia Bobrovska for incompetence and violating her oath of office by insulting and disparaging Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) believers gathered outside the courthouse hearing the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra case.
Ilina's criticism came in response to a social media post in which Bobrovska described people attending the court hearing as "brainwashed supporters of the Russian world."
"These are someone's mothers and grandmothers, citizens of Ukraine, by the way," Ilina pointed out. "And an MP has obligations to them as well, regardless of whether she approves of their religious beliefs."
The blogger noted that Article 79 of Ukraine's Constitution requires lawmakers to fulfill their duties in the interests of all their fellow citizens, while Article 8 of the Law on the Status of People's Deputies of Ukraine explicitly requires them to uphold moral standards and respect the honor and dignity of all citizens.
"Respecting citizens is a lawmaker's duty," the blogger stressed. "Belonging to a particular Church does not in itself prove that someone has committed a crime. If there are allegations concerning specific actions, evidence should be presented instead of humiliating people."
In closing, Ilina questioned the MP's ability to defend the rights of Ukrainians impartially.
"How can we expect fair decisions for all citizens when an elected representative allows herself to speak about some of them with such contempt?"
As the UOJ previously reported, MP Solomiia Bobrovska had expressed dissatisfaction with UOC believers gathered outside the courthouse during proceedings concerning the Upper Lavra and said she expected the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to respond to the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra case.
The MP thanked radical activists for putting pressure on the believers and also called for the Lavra to be completely freed from "Moscow's influence and FSB agents."
