“Authorization of the opposition to hold negotiations with the President were based on the authority of the Churches …” UGCC Head

Wednesday, 29 January 2014, 12:25

AUCCRO’s meeting with the opposition leaders had results. It was during that meeting that we heard the alarming information that from minute to minute there was a bloody occupation of the KMDA (Kyiv City State Administration) planned by the law authorities. That meant that a bloody violent reprisal would begin over the Maidan. We could not react to this calmly, therefore we insisted that representatives of the opposition immediately go to the President,” stated His Beatitude Sviatoslav (Shevchuk), UGCC Head on the air of Channel 5.

See also:

This insistence in some ways confused the opposition leaders because they felt that they did not have the necessary mandate from the Maidan in order to continue the negotiation process which they had just recently left.

“They felt that it was necessary that they first go to the Maidan. However, we all unanimously reiterated that it was necessary for them to go to the President, and that we will go to the Maidan. At that moment, God heard us, because the opposition leaders in our presence made contact with the President.

When the heads of churches and religious organizations of Ukraine appeared on the Maidan, the first question that they asked the gathered was “Who believes in God?” Everyone raised their hands. The Church people also asked the “Maidan people” whether they trust the representatives of the Churches, to which they received an affirmative answer. And the third question was whether the “Maidan people” authorize the opposition leaders to hold negotiations with the President.

“This was a delicate moment since this authorization of the opposition was being done through the authority of the Churches. The Church people took on this responsibility in order to almost force the opposition to continue this dialogue. And when the demonstrators realized that it was their pastors who in this manner protected on that day their lives, they started to chant ‘Thank You’,” he related.

These negotiations surprised all: however, in the opinion of UGCC Head, it is too early to make conclusions. The fact that it was possible to gain one more day of peace and at least one more night of no bloodshed became a small victory. “I am grateful to all who were on the Maidan then, and in such a spontaneous all-inclusive way expressed their trust to the representatives of the Churches and religious organizations,” added his Beatitude Sviatoslav.

UGCC Department of Information