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At Roundtable Clergy Warn Authorities Against Deceiving and Persecuting the People

13.12.2013, 16:43
At Roundtable Clergy Warn Authorities Against Deceiving and Persecuting the People - фото 1
A nationwide roundtable “Let’s Unite Ukraine” was held today in Kyiv. The meeting, chaired by the first President of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk, was attended by President Viktor Yanukovych and former Presidents Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, Speaker Volodymyr Rybak, leaders of the opposition – Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Vitali Klitschko, and Oleh Tyahnybok – and representatives of the public, students, and clergy.

exklusiv.gifA nationwide roundtable “Let’s Unite Ukraine” was held today in Kyiv. The meeting, chaired by the first President of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk, was attended by President Viktor Yanukovych and former Presidents Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, Speaker Volodymyr Rybak, leaders of the opposition – Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Vitali Klitschko, and Oleh Tyahnybok – and representatives of the public, students, and clergy.стіл_ц.gif

From the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk and Cardinal Lubomyr Husar attended the meeting. Patriarch Filaret represented the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP), and from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) the meeting was attended by Metropolitan Anthoniy of Boryspol and Brovary.

Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk, addressing Viktor Yanukovych, pointed out that the people cannot be spoken to in the “language of guns.” If there is a desire to reach a mutual understanding and solve the crisis that has escalated, you must hear the Ukrainians’ European integration aspirations. As for the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the patriarch stressed, this church stands on the side of the people who want to live in a European Ukraine.

The patriarch paid particular attention to the issue of the persecution of students participating in the EuroMaidan, including the Ukrainian Catholic University, for their open pro-European stance. Patriarch Sviatoslav severely criticized the calls that students received from the prosecutor's office and the interrogations. This shameful practice should be stopped immediately.

Patriarch Filaret (UOC-KP) said that people cannot be deceived. All year the authorities fed the Ukrainians promises of a European future, and when the time came to sign an Association Agreement with the EU, the government cheated the people: “You cannot build a country on deception,” with these words Patriarch Filaret addressed the president.

Representative of the UOC-MP, Metropolitan Anthoniy of Boryspol and Brovary, declared that Metropolitan Volodymyr for the further dialogue between the government and opposition is willing to give up space in his residence in the Kyiv Cave Monastery so that these holy walls can help Ukraine get out of the political crisis.