Law banning UOC was passed under Yermak’s threats, Novynskyi says
Members of parliament were intimidated by the security services and personally by Andriy Yermak – those who refused to vote were threatened, while those who complied were promised leniency.
Protodeacon of the UOC and former lawmaker Vadym Novynskyi told the Spanish outlet HerQles how the law effectively banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was passed. According to him, MPs voted for the measure not out of conviction, but under direct pressure from former Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak and the security services.
“You think they wanted to vote for it? No. They were subjected to threats directly from Yermak and from the security services. If you don’t vote, this will happen to you; if you do vote, there will be leniency. That is how everything was run – with a carrot and a stick,” Fr. Vadym said.
According to him, under Yermak a “vertical of fear” was built in the country, in which any criticism of the authorities or any sign of dissent immediately led to criminal prosecution or sanctions. In this way, he said, the authorities pushed through the Verkhovna Rada all the bills they needed, including the law banning the UOC.
“The government was completely under their control. They fully controlled everything they wanted and appointed whoever they wanted, pushing these appointees through parliament. Everything that in normal times might not have passed so smoothly and quietly,” the clergyman said.
In his view, the adoption of the law banning the UOC became the high point of the current authorities’ lawlessness. Fr. Vadym noted that the law is now being challenged in court.
“And we hope that the judges will still have some conscience within themselves. Not even the fear of God – simply conscience enough not to issue an unlawful ruling on banning the Church. It cannot be banned. It is impossible to fight against the Church. If an official ban comes, we will pray and somehow find a way to continue serving God and people,” the protodeacon said.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that court hearings on DESS’s lawsuit seeking the liquidation of the Kyiv Metropolia of the UOC had been postponed indefinitely.
