People's Deputy: Only representatives of independent churches, primarily the OCU, will serve in the Lavra

People’s Deputy Nikita Poturaev said in a commentary to Espresso that “the Lavra will belong to the Ukrainian people, the Ukrainian state, and only representatives of churches independent of Russian influence, primarily the OCU, will serve in it.”

He also noted that some aspects of the ongoing processes for the eviction of the UOC from the Lavra “are not taking place publicly.”

“I would not like us to draw global conclusions in our assessments of what is happening today. Because there is a very difficult process going on, not all of it is public, and there are certain aspects of this process that publicity can harm. Did anyone imagine two weeks ago that one of the leaders of the Lavra from the UOC-MP would transfer to the OCU and publicly call on the monastic brethren to transfer to the OCU and thus remain in the Lavra? Nobody expected this. If this had been publicized in advance, it could have harmed the process a little, ”Poturaev said.