During a hypertensive crisis, doctors were denied access to him and his life was put at threat.

The European Court of Human Rights recognized this as torture in the Lutsenko vs. Ukraine case.

Starobelskiy Court did not establish a single criminal episode, but extended Efremov's arrest for the fourteenth time, in violation of the law.

By now, Aleksandr Efremov has been in his cell for more than 800 days without any court verdict. Unfortunately, political repressions against opponents and those otherwise-minded are a stable attribute of the current authorities.

We appealed to diplomatic missions and international human rights organizations with a request to influence the situation. I consider Petro Poroshenko and Yuriy Lutsenko personally to blame for this. And such outrageous situation is a direct result of the so-called presidential “reforms” of justice and the judicial system.

Now the authorities are preparing the next step in usurping the judiciary and the next step in restricting the rights and freedoms of Ukrainian citizens. 

Yesterday at the conciliation board’s meeting I, as the head of the Opposition Bloc faction, raised a question about the responsibility of those in power and president Poroshenko personally for the economic consequences from imposing the martial law.

First of all, it is necessary to find out what price Ukrainian people and the economy of Ukraine will pay for the martial law. Traditionally, the authorities did not estimate the consequences of their actions and did nothing to protect citizens from possible deepening of the economic recession and from failure to fulfil social obligations, in particular, due to the budget under-performance, possible default or devaluation of Ukrainian hryvnia.

I want to ask the president, the National Security and Defence Council and those who voted for this shameful decision in the Verkhovna Rada: did they consider the losses that would be incurred by the national budget from imposing the martial law, how much less revenue would the state receive? I have no doubt that the martial law will affect every Ukrainian family, especially the population of the regions where it was introduced.

Today, at 8 a.m., the Security Service of Ukraine and the prosecutor's office, supported by special police forces, began searches in an out-of-town household of Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Pressure is being put on the vicar of Lavra, Metropolitan Pavel. Investigative activities are carried out into a completely void and obviously fabricated case. Moreover, His Grace Pavel is not the only one who is being persecuted. In recent weeks, we have witnessed unprecedented pressure from law enforcement officers on representatives of the hierarchy and priesthood of our Mother Church — for the sole purpose of committing treason and moving from the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church to the single local Ukrainian Orthodox Church (SLUOC) newly created by Poroshenko’s administration. “Conversations” are under way, criminal cases are opened. I am sure that all these cases will fall apart completely at the pre-trial stage, as well as hundreds, if not thousands, of other cases fabricated by the authorities against unwanted people and people opposing the authorities.

Until the Ukrainian sailors return home, it is too early to believe that the incident near the Kerch Strait has been completely settled. We call on the authorities to hold direct negotiations with the Russian Federation about immediate release of detained and convicted Ukrainian seamen on the basis of mutual legal assistance agreements between the two states. Instead of making excuses and finding those to blame, we need to find compromise with the Russian side on the existing problem. This is the only way to return our guys, and President Poroshenko is personally responsible for their fate.

It is important to say that the hysteria with the imposition of martial law without sufficient legal grounds, which followed the incident, is a disgrace and a desperate attempt by the President to remain in power at any cost. The one who, in fact, sent our sailors into captivity, is now giving interviews here and there, having forgotten about the main task that is the return of the crews of Ukrainian ships. Well, it is no wonder. Poroshenko’s regime needs a never-ending flow of “Kremlin's prisoners” to remain on the agenda of anti-Russian sanctions and to be in the focus of world media's attention. However, this is a completely unacceptable and immoral price of his being in power.

Yesterday’s voting in the Verkhovna Rada on imposing the martial law showed the utter defeat of Petro Poroshenko. He failed to implement his original plan and establish a dictatorship in the country, to limit the effect of the Constitution and cancel or postpone the presidential elections. Judging by how the issue was voted, the very idea of ​​martial law becomes nonsense and mockery of the “strategic genius” of people from the President’s closest circle.

Instead of 60 days of martial law country-wide (which would lead to an automatic postponement of presidential elections for an indefinite period), the Verkhovna Rada approved martial law in the “soft” format – for 30 days in 10 regions with a clear prescription to hold the presidential elections on 31 March. The presidential team was so sure that its version would be resignedly accepted by MPs that even before the vote they had given the original text of the Presidential Decree for publishing. Today the country could see in surprise how “Uryadovyi Kuryer” was released with the document that was not amended. Petro Poroshenko suffered the largest political setback.

Last Tuesday, I was highly honoured to be elected as the head of the Opposition Bloc party's faction in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

I want to assure both my colleagues and our fellow party members and supporters that I will do everything to justify this high credit of confidence.

I would also like to comment on the events that accompanied my election, namely, the expulsion of two MPs from the faction.

I would like to say that the Opposition Bloc is not just two or even forty-three MPs. The Opposition Bloc, first, means thousands of people's deputies at all levels across the country. These are tens of thousands of party members and millions of our voters and supporters. Therefore, the departure of several deputies from the faction is not a tragedy for the political force.

Indeed, it is very difficult to part with people with whom a certain stage of your life has passed, especially the one that is as challenging as the last four years. However, I reiterate that no tragedy has happened for the Opposition Bloc political party.

There is no crisis and no split in the party. All the reasons that could lead to a crisis were eliminated on Tuesday.

Yesterday I commented on the first news from the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul for Ukraine TV channel.

My main impression is that the Synod’s decisions are dictated solely by political motives, but in no way are they intended to restore the unity of Ukrainian Orthodoxy and in no way are they caused by care about the Orthodox Christians of Ukraine. Also, a political motive of representatives of the Ukrainian authorities is seen here.

The worst consequence of these decisions is that from now on, I think, for the next 100 to 200 years, any unity of Orthodoxy on our land is out of the question. The split will only get worse.

Obviously, the decisions themselves are contrary to church laws and canons. The Ecumenical Patriarchy’s waiver from legal binding of its own Synodal Letter on the transfer of the Metropolia of Kiev to the Moscow Patriarchate looks as if the United Kingdom abolished the independence of India these days, which it had granted to the country in 1947.

Moreover, the statute of limitations on disputes regarding the abolition of the charter of accession of the Kiev Metropolia to the Russian Church dated 1686 expired 300 years ago.

From a report in the press and on the NACP (National Agency on Corruption Prevention) website, I learned that it is about the fact that in my 2015 and 2016 declarations I did not indicate the cost of the premises that I rent and in which my reception office is located, as well as the value of shares in some companies. The Agency sees "signs of a criminal offense" in this.

I know that I filled the declaration in full compliance with the requirements of the legislation, and I regard the statement by the NACP about revealing "signs of a criminal offense" as a continuation of the authorities’ unlawful pressure on a political opponent. Moreover, in this case, representatives of the Agency demonstrate complete incompetence, “creatively” construing their own recommendations. 

The declaration lists all the companies whose shares I own directly and in which I am the beneficiary, including registration numbers, addresses and the number of shares that belong to me. Information about the ownership of shares has been declared by me for many years in a row, during my entire tenure as an MP. Anyone can verify this by reading my declaration on the NACP website.

Dear friends, the Grand Council of the Party of Peace national movement was held on September 28. The governing bodies of the organization were established, and I was highly honoured to be elected as the head of the movement.

In a matter of months since the day when we and other like-minded people initiated the creation of a movement that would unite everyone to achieve peace in our land, thousands and thousands of Ukrainians across the country responded. Civil society organizations, workers' associations and even political parties declared their readiness to unite around this simple, understandable and very important goal.

During these months, our movement has got hundreds of cells in almost every region of the country. Twenty-two regional offices have been created, and our new subsidiaries appear every day.

The idea of peace unites people of the most diverse political views, ages and social status. The idea of peace is now a truly nation-building idea.

I believe that we can build a new, successful and happy Ukraine on the comprehensive idea of peace – peace in the heart of every Ukrainian, peace between Ukrainians, a world without wars and conflicts.

Independence is not just a word, and not a line in the Constitution. 

Independence is when the people themselves make the most important decisions. 

On the way to real independence, we need to stop the war, to overcome hatred and the split. After all, the Lord said: “the state divided against itself, will not stand”. 

That is why we must come to an agreement and mutual respect. 

And then Ukraine will be prosperous and independent! 

Peace, love and best of luck to us all! 

Dear friends! 

Today, we all celebrate the Transfiguration of Christ!

This feast is associated with the event of the Transfiguration of Christ on Mount Tabor, when He revealed himself to the disciples no longer in the guise of a common man, but as the Lord radiating divine light and grace.

The Lord showed us the way, since the transfiguration is a real purpose of our life. It is through purification and transfiguration that a person can enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Therefore, the feast of the Transfiguration of Christ is so important and is specially honoured in the Orthodox Church.

Congratulations, dear Orthodox Christians! 

Peace and love to all of us!

Today, we celebrate the Procession of the Venerable Wood of the Life-Creating Cross of the Lord and honour the memory of the seven holy Maccabee martyrs.

From today, the Assumption Fast begins, which is short, but strict one.

Our people call this day the Saviour of the Honey Feast Day, because Orthodox Christians bless the honey of the new season in all the temples of our Church. The honey is customarily brought to the church as an explicit manifestation of God's mercy to us sinners.

Happy feast and congratulations on the first day of the Assumption Fast, dear Orthodox Christians!

Today we honour the memory of the holy martyrs, the faithful princes Boris and Gleb, the saints of God, glorified at the very beginning of the heyday of Christianity in our land.

For a thousand years, Christians have revered them as inspirational models, as an example of courageous journey for Christ.

For a thousand years, our Holy Mother Church, using the example of the holy martyrs, has been reminding us how to treat our neighbours, how to correct our lives, how not to fear death, giving your life for love.

Today we praise their feat of faith and ask them prayerfully that all falseness and envy, anger and hatred are eradicated, but true love and brotherly love triumph in Ukraine.

Peace and love to all of us!

Happy Holiday!

On 31 July 2018, the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) of Ukraine applied to Pecherskiy District Court of Kiev for permission to withdraw from the State Migration Service of Ukraine documents relating to the granting of the Ukrainian citizenship to me. The reason is more than doubtful: allegedly the documents were not signed by me, and the signature of the President of Ukraine is missing on the corresponding decree.

The above appeal of the PGO is another example of the persecution of political opponents by those in power, with whom I completely disagree on issues of understanding morality and conscience.

The migration service has repeatedly checked compliance with the procedure and the legality of granting me citizenship. Specially for prosecutors, I publish the official response of the migration service, which clearly states that "no violations of the Ukrainian legislation on citizenship issues have been established." 

Today we honour the memory of the Holy Prophet Elias.

The Holy Church is praising this great Saint of God in festive hymns and calls him the "Earthly Angel", "the second forerunner of the coming of Christ", "the foundation of the prophets».

Christians around the world honour him as the greatest of the prophets, with whom few of those who live on earth can compare. After almost three thousand years, God's Prophet Elias is an example of faithfulness, zeal and courage in the confession of true faith.

Congratulations, dear Orthodox Christians! 

Dear friends! 

Today is not just one of the holidays in the calendar, not just a landmark date of our history. Today is the 1030^th anniversary of the Baptism of Kievan Rus! 

Without exaggeration, this is an event of a global scale that has changed the course of the history of the whole of Europe. Just imagine what the fate of European civilization could be if instead of Christianity Kievan Rus adopted Islam or Judaism then proposed to Prince Vladimir alternatively to Christianity. There is no doubt that the choice made by Prince Vladimir in 988 was civilizational one, predetermining further destiny of both the native state and neighbouring countries for centuries. Yet, this day is important and memorable for us not only for this.

Congratulations, my friends! Peace, accord in minds and hearts, and love to all of us!

Today we celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the revival of monastic life in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra.

After years of persecution for faith and after oblivion, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra was one of the first in the USSR to return to our Mother Church in the year of the 1000^th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus. In many respects, the process of spiritual revival in our society began with this. Therefore, the 30^th anniversary of the revival of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra is also the anniversary of the end of the "godless captivity", the anniversary of the "new baptism" and the appeal to God.

Over centuries, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra was and remains a sacred place of promise for our people. Here is the heart and soul of our people.

Congratulating you on this anniversary, I want to wish everyone a prayerful intercession from Saint Anthony and all the Kiev Pechersk saints.

Peace and love to us all!

Today, as always on the third Sunday of July, we celebrate the day of metallurgical and mining industries’ workers in Ukraine, the Metallurgists’ and Miners’ Day.

The mining and metallurgical sector of Ukraine is the backbone of our economy. Today, the mining and metallurgical industries mean the filling-in of the national budget. They mean development of cities, building of infrastructure and creation of jobs. This is the stability and prosperity of our country.

Today it is one of the few branches of the Ukrainian economy where there is huge development and growth potential. We need to keep and, most importantly, to increase the vast experience gained by earlier generations because investing in the industry, in modernization of the domestic industry we invest in success of the whole country.

Friends, on this holiday I want to thank you for your hard, but very honourable work. I want to wish you good health, best of luck and prosperity to your families. God's help to you! I wish us peace in our land!

Happy Holiday!