The administration of Morshansk did not allow ESM members to hold a rally in support of the Old Believer community

On October 6, members of the Eurasian Youth Union intended to hold a picket in Morshansk (Tambov region) in defense of the rights of the local community of the Russian Orthodox Church on the building of the Assumption Church, for the return of which the Old Believers have been fighting since 2002. However, the city administration refused to issue a permit for the action. ESM leader Valery Korovin, commenting on the decision of the authorities in an interview with Portal-Credo.ru , said: “This is complete lawlessness and bureaucratic arbitrariness, a conspiracy of Satanists against believers in the administration of Morshansk, an attempt to suppress religious freedoms. But we, the Eurasians, will not back down and apply next Saturday, October 13. We will definitely hold a picket and achieve the return of the temple to the believers!”

"Last year, - the portal notes, - the ECM already held an action in support of the community, but the Old Believers refused to take part in it, fearing further conflicts with the authorities. from several regions, the city authorities were not allowed to carry out without explanation.

A source from Morshansk, who was in charge of registering the community, said that the reason for the refusal was the inability to provide security and protect both the protesters and residents of neighboring houses from provocations, insofar as "this is a rather cramped place." From different sides it is surrounded by residential buildings, the building of the world court, the library college, and most importantly, the Baptist church and the temple of the Russian Orthodox Church MP, which can serve as an additional reason for provocations.

The city administration also proposed, as an alternative, to hold an action at the place of registration of the community, i.e. in the endangered village of Ustye, Morshansky district. This option, for obvious reasons, is unacceptable for Eurasians, therefore, as an alternative to the previous 'prayer+rally' scheme, an attempt will be made to organize a prayer service near the temple, and a rally somewhere else. In this case, the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church gave their consent to a non-political action."

Sources

• The Eurasian Youth Union was denied permission to hold a rally in support of the community of Old Believers in Morshansk // Portal-Credo.ru. 2007. September 28.