State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience condemns slander about "persecution" of Orthodox Christians of Romanian origin in Ukraine

The State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience refuted Visan's statements and expressed confidence that they could not spoil either the solidarity of representatives of different ethnic groups and religious beliefs in Ukraine or the relations between Ukraine and Romania.

The statement by the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience, in particular, says:

"The State Service for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience categorically rejects the ex-MP's fabrications as not only untrue, but also clearly aimed at overshadowing Ukrainian-Romanian good neighborliness and cooperation, trying to pit representatives of different ethnic communities against each other, and discrediting Ukraine in the eyes of Europeans who admire its courage and dedication in repelling the Russian invasion.

The Ukrainian state and its authorities have always supported the observance of the rights of the ethnic Romanian minority, and the preservation of its linguistic, religious and cultural identity.

Today, there are more than 100 Romanian Orthodox parishes in Ukraine, a significant part of which is subordinate to the UOC Diocese of Chernivtsi-Bukovyna.

On July 27, 2019, the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine decided to establish an Orthodox Romanian vicariate for religious organizations with a predominant ethnic Romanian population: " Considering the pastoral needs of the Romanian-speaking Orthodox communities in Ukraine, following the model of the organization of church life of parishes of the Romanian Orthodox Church with a predominant number of ethnic Ukrainians, to establish the Orthodox Romanian Vicariate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Orthodox Church of Ukraine) for religious organizations (religious communities and monasteries) in Ukraine with a predominant number of ethnic Romanians."

Ukrainians gratefully welcomed the consistent position of the Romanian Orthodox Church on Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Ukraine has been and remains committed to the fundamental principles of freedom of conscience. Cathedrals, churches and houses of worship were never closed in the country, and believers were not persecuted. A politician can't be unaware of this. As well as be unaware of the fact that enemy fire spotters, collaborators who gave out Ukrainian activists to the invaders and supported murderers and looters, called the Russian World to us, should be punished as they deserve, regardless of the presence or absence of their spiritual dignity.

It is hard not to notice how much the allegations disseminated by Gelu Visan are consistent with the propaganda cliches of the Russian Federation, which she tried to approve at the UN Security Council meeting initiated by her about the alleged "persecution of the only canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine" on January 17, 2023. We shouldn't forget those pitiful accusations and the worthy response from the members of the UN Security Council."