Ex-head of Rivne Regional Council about UOC believers: Either we or they

The former head of the Rivne Regional Council Serhiy Kondrachuk, commenting on the criminal proceedings that were opened against him by the Rivne City Court because of persecution of UOC believers, said that in order to conduct a proper questioning, an investigator would need half a day. He said this in the programme "New Rules" on the "Rivne 1" TV channel.

A criminal case against Kondrachuk was opened under three articles, including inciting interfaith hatred and insulting honour and dignity.

"The statement against me was signed by the entire leadership of the UOC in the Rivne Region, including Archbishop Pimen, all the deaneries, all the abbots of the monasteries," Kondrachuk said.

Also, the former head of the Rivne Regional Council noted that a preliminary questioning had already been conducted in the criminal case, but the full meeting at which Kondrachuk is to give all the evidence was postponed.

"I take it calmly. Perhaps this structure (the UOC – Ed.) decided that the best defence is an attack, but I have already said that in this battle, either we or they," the former official resumed.

During a regular session of the Rivne Regional Council, the deputies dismissed its chairman who had tried several times to ban the activities of the UOC in the region. According to Kondrachuk's statement, he lost his post because "by his attempts to ban the UOC, he is splitting society".