Vadym Novinsky: Zelensky broke his election promise of non-interference in the affairs of the Church

Protodeacon of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), businessman and former MP of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Vadym Novynskyy has said that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy failed to fulfill one of his key election promises regarding the observance of equality of all confessions and the rejection of state interference in church life. According to the clergyman, the current administration has actually increased pressure on the UOC, continuing the policy started by the previous leadership of the country.

Vadim Novinsky made the corresponding statements in an interview to the Spanish channel HerQles. Protodeacon recalled that before the elections Zelensky guaranteed the distancing of the state from religious issues, but in fact the process of struggle with the Church was led personally by the President and the head of his Office Andriy Yermak.

In his speech, the clergyman drew a parallel between the current head of state and his predecessor Petro Poroshenko, calling Vladimir Zelensky «the worst copy» of the previous president in matters of church policy. According to the protodeacon, behind the rhetoric about achieving «spiritual independence of Ukraine» hides a different goal, which he characterized as the pursuit of «freedom in sin, but without Christ.»

In addition, the publication notes that the actions of the authorities have already led to radical measures: earlier Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on deprivation of citizenship of the Primate of the UOC Blessed Metropolitan Onufriy, which was another stage of the «unjust and unjust struggle» against the canonical Church.

We will remind, the Ukrainian government continues to persecute former member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, businessman and protodeacon Vadym Novinsky. This time the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine published information that the former MP allegedly failed to pay an astronomical amount of taxes — 4.3 billion UAH. In this connection, a new criminal case has been opened against Novynskyy