The Union of Orthodox Citizens is outraged by M. Shaimiev’s statement regarding the obstacles to the Pope’s visit to Russia

On June 18, the press service of the Union of Orthodox Citizens circulated a commentary on the statement of Tatarstan President M. Shaimiev on June 16 that "certain forces" were obstructing the Pope's visit to Russia. The authors of the document are outraged by allusions to the position of the Russian Orthodox Church, "especially against the background that Wahhabism operates quite freely in Tatarstan," and "the Russian Orthodox Church has been relegated to the role of a "second-class religion," although "the Orthodox make up half of the population of Tatarstan."

The Union of Orthodox Citizens believes that "Shaimiev is not joking. His love for Catholicism is quite logical. Apparently, he needs an ally in the face of the Vatican in far-reaching separatist plans, and radical Islam needs a religious "fellow traveler" against the Russian Orthodox Church in the person of Catholicism."

Sources

• "And Shaimiev can't wait to steer religion": commentary of the SPG press service // Radonezh. 2003. June 18.