To date, the Russian Orthodox Church is not so much religious as the state structure; Believers of the UOC-MP, who do not have the opportunity to change the jurisdiction of the parish, are actually in the state of serfs.

This opinion was expressed to the "Observer" by the Russian politician, the president of the All-Russian Public Movement "Union of Right Forces" Leonid Gozman.

Commenting on the conflict over two bills concerning the regulation of church activities in Ukraine - No. 4511 and No. 4128 - and also about the colossal opposition from the ROC, he said: "It is quite obvious that the Russian Orthodox Church, in the form in which it exists, is Not only and not so much by a religious organization as by a state organization - it is a state structure. And this is the state structure of the Russian Federation ".

"In due time there were rumors that all metropolitans were employees of the KGB. I can not confirm this.. But the fact that the metropolitans were the nomenklatura of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee is quite obvious. In a sense, such a bundle has remained today, "added Gozman.

Thus, "the resistance of the Russian Orthodox Church is resistance, first of all, to the Russian state, which, of course, does not want to lose such a channel of influence," the politician is convinced.

He also commented on the two norms laid down in the "church" bills. According to Gozman, the norm obliging the church not to carry out anti-Ukrainian activities will be difficult to perform. "These are few or poorly verifiable words. Suppose, such a law will be adopted. ROC something will do. You will say that this is an anti-Ukrainian activity. They will say that this is not an anti-Ukrainian activity. But, maybe, such a law is also needed for something, "he said..

At the same time, Gozman welcomes the norm, which proposes a specific mechanism for changing the coming of its jurisdiction. "Changing the jurisdiction of the parish - this thing is not specifically against the Russian Orthodox Church. It is for the rights of believers, "he said..

"If I am a believer, if I go to the temple, and there are several denominations close to me in spirit, then why can not I and other parishioners of this parish decide: this patriarch does not like us, we do not trust him, but with the mouths of these People, it seems to us, says God. Why not? This is important, this is freedom, "he said..

"Freedom must extend to believing people too, or it turns out that believing people - like serfs. Believe in the Lord - here's a church for you, here's a bishop, here's a metropolitan, here with them and live. And for what reason? People are not serfs, they are normal, they are free, "Gozman stressed..

"It seems to me that this should be the right of every parish - to solve this issue democratically, but we understand that with the adoption of such a decision there are certain consequences.

For example, if the church that belonged to the parish had financed something, now it will not finance. People should make an informed decision ".

Full version of the interview with Leonid Gozman read here.

As the "Observer" wrote, on May 18 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine was to consider two draft laws on the regulation of church activities in Ukraine, but the vote was postponed.

Earlier it became known about the taxes and business of the Russian Orthodox Church.

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