Novinsky: Constitution on pause, force and administrative resources rule

Vadim Novinsky. Photo: rbc.ua

Former MP and UOC Protodeacon Vadim Novinsky commented on the events surrounding the violent seizure of the Archangel Cathedral in Cherkasy, stating that they are the result of a massive campaign of hatred and slander directed at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in recent years.

“When, in August, the Verkhovna Rada passed a law aimed at banning the UOC, it was clear that we would not have the prescribed nine months to prepare the documents... Persecution of the Church and the seizure of churches will continue, as the seeds of evil have already been sown and have taken root. The authorities do not even intend to respect the law – ‘the Constitution is on pause,’ as its guarantor once said,” Vadim Novinsky noted.

He recalled that the authorities had promised a "civilized" mechanism for dissolving organizations allegedly threatening national security.

“They assured that the right to religious freedom would not be at risk if the community complied with the law. They promised that everything would be decided by expert reviews, courts, and appeals. In reality, everything is decided by violence, bats, tear gas, organized groups of rioters, and the administrative resources of corrupt local authorities,” the protodeacon emphasized.

Fr. Vadim stated that the Archangel Cathedral in Cherkasy is an example of this, as it belonged to the diocese, was built over six years with the efforts and resources of the parishioners of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and could not be subject to claims by state authorities or the OCU.

“These actions require both legal and moral evaluation. Our task is to ensure that the documents and materials become public knowledge and to inform the international community about them. I am confident that we will achieve truth and justice,” concluded the former MP.

As the UOJ previously reported, Vadim Novinsky noted that many of the UOC’s persecutors have forgotten in which Church they were baptized.

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