FM Says Georgia Is Happy Ukrainian Church Obtained Autocephaly
By Tea Mariamidze
Thursday, January 17
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani says Georgia is happy and welcomes any step that promotes Ukraine's independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty.
The minister made the statement while commenting on the issue of Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which obtained its independence from Moscow on January 5, 2019, after the World Patriarch Bartholomew signed the Tomos on autocephaly.
Zalkaliani said the spread information that the government has not expressed its position regarding the issue and remains silent is not true.
“We welcome any steps that promote Ukraine's independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty. Why would not we be happy with this fact? I do not think it's a restraint. Ukraine is our strategic partner and we cooperate in many strategic formats,” he said.
However, Zalkaliani added that the issue should be decided within the frames of the Georgian Orthodox Church.
"Considering the relevant process of the canonical church, the Orthodox Church of Georgia should make a decision on this issue. As for the state, you know that the government does not interfere with the church activities,” he added.
Opposition parties criticize the government for not congratulating Ukraine on the big achievement.
Parliamentary minority European Georgia says it is not nice that Georgia has not congratulated friendly Ukraine on gaining church independence.
“Just as the autocephaly of the Georgian Church is the greatest achievement of the Georgian state and the Georgian people, the independence of the Ukrainian Church is the achievement of the Ukrainian people. This is why the government has to congratulate the friendly state when such an important historical event happens,” member of the party, David Bakradze said.
The MP added that the Church might have its own position but the government should make its statement.
"We should not interfere into the decision of the Church. It is up to them, but as politicians and citizens of Georgia, we have the right to have our opinion. Waiting for the Church to make the first official comment, indicates that our government is weak or that they take into account the position of Russia,” he stressed.
Theologian Levan Abashidze believes that the position of the Georgian Church, which does not hurry to make comments on the autocephaly of the Ukrainian church, is right and reasonable.
According to him, the Georgian Church should wait for the developments and the decisions of the Patriarchates of those countries which have much closer ties with Ukraine.
"We do not yet know the position of other churches. The main thing is that we do not know the position of the majority of Ukrainians ... How can the government or the Patriarchate make any comments now when Ukrainians have not decided the issue themselves?" the theologian said.
The Ukrainian church had been under Moscow’s jurisdiction since 1686, when, under pressure from Russia, it abandoned allegiance to Constantinople, the historical seat of the Eastern Orthodox Church now known as Istanbul.
Before the signing ceremony of the Tomos, World Patriarch Bartholomew called on other world autocephalous churches to support Ukrainian Church.
Both, Patriarch Bartholomew and the new autonomous Ukrainian church, described the occasion as a long-needed alignment of Ukraine’s independent state and church.
The Tomos declares that the Metropolitan of Kiev and all Ukraine, representing the Holy Synod of Ukrainian bishops, should turn to the Patriarchate of Constantinople for all decisions in the future.
