Paval Seviarynets: Belarusian Authorities Put Pressure On Catholic Church

In their evaluation of the activities of the Roman Catholic Church the Belarusian authorities are following the worst Soviet traditions.

It has been said by Paval Seviarynets, co-chairman of the organizing committee for creation of the Belarusian Christian Democratic Party, to Krynica.info news website as he commented on the statements by Leanid Huliaka, Commissioner on Religious and Ethnic Affairs, on the Roman Catholic Church, insufficient quantity of priests prepared, and destructive activities of some of them.

As said by Seviarynets, the Roman Catholic Church is a very dynamic structure, which makes a big difference in the Belarusian society, and is responsive to its needs.

In his evaluation of the activities of the Roman Catholic Church in Belarus the administration of the Commissioner on Religious and Ethnic Affairs and its departments are acting in the worst Soviet traditions. They are trying to prescribe to the church what they are to do, while their main function is to facilitate its activities to the greatest possible extent.

“The Belarusian authorities should cherish the Roman Catholic Church,” – Paval Seviarynets said. The same could be said about the attitude to the Orthodox Church. “As for the Roman Catholic Church, the manifestation of pressure on the Roman Catholic Church by the authorities is obvious. Why such a pressure is being put, and what these accusations exactly mean, is hard to say so far,” – the co-chairman of the BCD added.

On February 2 Leanid Huliaka stated in particular that some foreign priests have poor verbal skills in the state languages of Belarus, Roman Catholic priests from Poland have multiple administrative breaches, and “certain Roman Catholic priests, citizens of Belarus, are engaged in a destructive work among the population.” According to him, the authorities should pay more close attention to these problems, and implement measures aimed at their preventing.