Political analyst: Power methodically narrows the activity of the UOC

Prohibiting a standard cross procession in Sumy on the feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Virgin, the authorities tests a new practice of prohibitions against the UOC, said the head of the analytical centre "Third Sector" Andrei Zolotarev to a UOJ correspondent.

"October 14 is now being formalized as the Day of the Defender of Ukraine, and under the patronage of pro-government structures it is enjoyed by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church," Andrei Zolotarev said. "And regarding the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, which the authorities consider the Church of the occupant country, an outright discriminatory policy is being pursued. And the prohibition of the cross procession in Sumy is such a test ball. Earlier, a few years ago, there were no such prohibitions. And now there is an obvious testing of the new practice, when the space for church activities of the UOC will be methodically narrowed."