Kyivan Patriarchate Accuses Russian Church of Encroachment on Sovereignty of Ukraine

Representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP) commented on the initiative to hold a referendum on "the unification of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus."

The representatives of the Kyivan Patriarchate view the support by the Russian Orthodox Church of this initiative as encroachment on the sovereignty, independence and Constitutional system of Ukraine as a state.

"The authors of the initiative and the Moscow Patriarchate, which supported them, by their actions actually question the decision of the national Ukrainian Referendum of December 1, 1991, when the people of Ukraine confirmed the Act of Declaration of Independence by over 90% of the votes.

"It is clear that within Russia its citizens can gather signatures as to any referendums. But in Ukraine, the declared subject of the referendum can be viewed only in the way that Russia would view a referendum in our country 'in support of the recognition of the "Imarate of Caucasus" or in support of abolition of the institute of presidency of the Russian Federation,'" redas the statement of UOC-KP.