Committee of Voters of Ukraine Expects Unlawful Agitation by Priest Candidates

The Committee of Voters expects the largest number of possible abuses of pastoral authority during the elections to village councils. During a conference in UNIAN today, the head of the management board of the Committee of Voters of Ukraine, Oleksandr Chernenko, noted that ministers as citizens of Ukraine have a right to participate in the elections; however, the use of religious beliefs of people for a political purpose is a violation of the ethical component of the law.

"Of course, from the moral-ethical viewpoint, the authority of the priest is quite influential. Therefore, abuses are quite possible. If in a certain case, the voters view agitation as an excess, the matter should be settled in court," stressed Chernenko.

The attitude of the committee to priests, who are not Ukrainian citizens, is stricter. As we know, they have no right to be candidates in the elections or agitate for anyone. According to Chernenko, irrespective of the time of a priest's stay and work in Ukraine, voters should inform the committee of facts of agitation by the priest.

"According to the law on elections, an agitating foreign priest is to be treated as any foreigner. One should send a complaint to the committee, warn the people who agitate,
and draw their attention to their internal church rules." The committee has not calculated yet the number of clergymen participating in the local elections this year.