Religion, Policy "Should Not be Mixed"
Views on BG | July 25, 2004, Sunday
Priest from the dissident clergy headed by Metropolitan Inokentii are determined to stay vigil in front of their churches until allowed back into them. Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (novinite.com)
Bulgaria should not allow religion and policy to be mixed, Parliamentary Speaker Ognyan Gerdhzikov said.
In an interview for the private bTV channel Gerzdhikov said the new law used as a base for the July 21 church raids was voted in 2002 aiming to overcome the schism of the Bulgarian Church.
Last Wednesday police stormed through 250 churches countrywide and detained many priests in a controversial raid to restore proprietorship of official Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
Gerdzhikov pointed out that the Prosecutor's order for the raid was legal, underlining, however, that the measures taken were not proper.
The problem following the schism of the Bulgarian Church has established two Orthodox community centres, one headed by Patriarch Maxim and the other claiming he had been "appointed" by ex-communist regime.
In an interview for the private bTV channel Gerzdhikov said the new law used as a base for the July 21 church raids was voted in 2002 aiming to overcome the schism of the Bulgarian Church.
Last Wednesday police stormed through 250 churches countrywide and detained many priests in a controversial raid to restore proprietorship of official Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
Gerdzhikov pointed out that the Prosecutor's order for the raid was legal, underlining, however, that the measures taken were not proper.
The problem following the schism of the Bulgarian Church has established two Orthodox community centres, one headed by Patriarch Maxim and the other claiming he had been "appointed" by ex-communist regime.
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