"Novinsky case" – an attempt to blackmail UOC leadership, – expert

Ruslan Bortnik, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Institute of Analysis and Management Policy, believes that the current proceedings concerning the deputy Vladimir Novinsky are due to the fact that the government wants to control the Church. So the analyst commented on the situation.

"This is not a" Novinsky case", this is a "UOC case," – says Ruslan Bortnik. – The government has chosen the policy of building a controlled religious organization. The authorities do not care how the organization will be called. The main thing is to have an absolute power over it. For that, all possible pressure is put on the UOC."

The politologist noted that earlier the government has resorted to other means, but it did not bring the proper result.

"The pressure from the outside has led to nothing but the seizure of several dozen churches, not given, – says Ruslan Bortnik. – Therefore, the decision was made to put pressure directly on the leadership of the Church. The authorities are afraid to initiate proceedings against the bishops directly (afraid of the reaction of the international community), so Novinsky was elected as one of the key patrons of the Church. At the same time, he is a kind of "bridge" to the UOC leadership. If the court finds him guilty, then the question arises: who else put pressure on the late Beatitude Vladimir? And this thing will immediately be extrapolated to the present case against the leadership of the UOC. The case is much politicized, with weak evidence base. If it goes well, the Parliament will lack deputies completely immune from prosecution. This all is an attempt to blackmail the leadership of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church."

Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko previously stated that "Yanukovich initiated a meeting where it was decided to put pressure on the late Metropolitan Vladimir (Sabodan) so that the latter would leave office in favor of another primate of the Chucrh, Yanukovich’s protégé." At the same time Yanukovich allegedly requested Novinsky to monitor the progress of this illegal pressure, until it was successfully completed.