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21 May 2009, 14:10A large majority of Ukrainian political elite to back the unity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with the Moscow Patriarchate
Moscow, May 21, Interfax - The proponents of dissent and a local Church in Ukraine constituted only a small minority in the Ukrainian leadership, press-secretary of the Ukrainian canonical Church Vasily Anisimov said.
"The majority of Ukrainian politicians shows no protest against our unity with the Russian Orthodox Church, but rather welcomes it," Anisimov said in an interview posted at the Orthodox website Radonezh.
"Have Yanukovich, Timoshenko, Simonenko, Litvin, Moroz or Vitrenko ever expressed their dissatisfaction with our unity with the Russian Orthodox Church? After all, they represent 90 percent of our politicum. In fact, they have always encouraged us," he added.
Victor Anisimov also mentioned that many "leaders of The Orange Revolution, such as Yuschenko's close associates Poroshenko, Lutsenko, Yekhanurov and others, are members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church."
"There is a small lobby supporting Uniates and dissenters headed by the President, but it can be hardly considered the majority of our elite," Anisimov said.
He mentioned that during the celebration of 1020th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia in Kiev "leaders of all Ukrainian major political parties - including Yanukovich, Timoshenko, Simonenko, Moroz, and Vitrenko - refused to participate in President's scheming with the Church, and expressed their critical viewpoint on the matter."
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