POROSHENKO:
THE PEOPLE SHOULD ASSESS CLERICS' ACTS
The actions of clergymen should be evaluated by the people and parishioners. This was declared by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, responding to journalists' question whether the government should give an assessment of the conduct of hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow patriarchate, who on 8 May did not honor the memory of participants in the ATO [Anti-Terrorism Operation] during a solemn session of the Supreme Soviet. This happened at a briefing at the military polygon in Chernigov province, a correspondent of UNIAN reports.
"The government should not give an assessment for hierarchs of churches. I think that this assessment should be given by the people and parishioners," the president said.
As UNIAN reported, on 8 May, the Day of Memory and Reconciliation was observed in Ukraine. On this day, a solemn session of the Supreme Soviet was held, which was devoted to the 70th anniversary of victory over Nazism in Europe and the place and role of the Ukrainian people in the Second World War.
The president addressed the session, calling the audience to a minute of silence to honor the memory of Ukrainian soldiers who have perished during the conflict in the Donbass. Representatives of the UPTs, led by Metropolitan Onufrey, did not rise when Poroshenko read the names of the heroes, while all the reset of the audience in the hall stood. (tr. by PDS, posted 11 May 2015)
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