Head of UGCC Asks President Not to Liquidate National Expert Committee on the Protection of Public Morality

An address of the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) regarding Presidential Decree No. 1085/2010 "On the optimization of the system of central executive agencies," Norm 7.7 of which envisages "the settlement of the question of the liquidation of the National Expert Committee on the Protection of Public Morality" was published by the press service of the UGCC on December 14.

The head of the UGCC drew attention to the fact the optimization should include certain worldview changes and that all the measures taken to reach optimization should be based on spiritual principles in order for it to be effective.

According to Patriarch Lubomyr, the National Expert Committee on the Protection of Public Morality directed its activity to develop the culture and spirituality of the Ukrainian nation from the moment of its establishment (20 November 2003). Therefore, the hierarch doubts that saving several million UAH on the activity of the committee "will help protect the population of our state, especially, children and youth, from the moral filth which is so lavishly 'sowed' by some mass media."

The address of Patriarch Lubomyr to the president says that the population will not benefit from the liquidation of the institution which is established to protect the nation from immorality and lack of culture and which uses minimal funds in its activity. "Will Ukrainian tax payers really benefit from such a reform or will only the owners of the mass media, who receive huge gains from the propaganda of violence and dissipation, benefit from it?" the head of UGCC asks the president.

Patriarch Lubomyr stresses that the committee effectively cooperates with the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations. According to him, an example is the joint address of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations and the National Expert Committee of Ukraine on the Protection of Public Morality to governmental and public organizations, mass media and all citizens of Ukraine and the implementation of measures "which enjoyed considerable social support, helped establish the proper level of morality in the society and promoted interdenominational and interethnic accord and understanding."

The head of UGCC asks the president to "consider the importance of the mentioned problems and withdraw Norm 7.7 from Presidential Decree No. 1085/2010 and leave the National Expert Committee on the Protection of Public Morality as a central body of executive power with a special status, with its current objectives and functions and its valuable cadres.

In addition, the head of the UGCC hopes that in regards to social issues connected with matters of morality and spirituality, "serious discussions will be conducted in the environment of the civic society without excluding churches and religious organizations, which are also important institutions of the society."