KYIV — In an address to the faithful, Metropolitan Mefodiy, the head of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC), calls to take an active civic position during the presidential election: not to vote against all candidates and also not to sin by selling one’s vote. The address, which was compiled in response to the upcoming second round of the presidential elections, was passed to the new agency UNIAN. 

“Calls are heard not to participate in the election or vote against both candidates. However, we understand that in the present political conditions these calls are not justified,” noted the hierarch.

The hierarch sees the difference between the two candidates. “One of the candidates for the highest post in the state defends the necessity of deeper integration with Russia. The other candidate believes that the prospects of the development of Ukraine by consolidating independence and with the European choice – integration in the European Union,” noted the head of the UAOC.

According to the hierarch, “eighteen years ago we have made our choice; it was a choice in favor of independence and freedom. Today, we have to show loyalty to that historic decision and to show that we still want to live in an independent state.”