A truly unhealthy situation with freedom of speech and the activities of the mass media has developed in Ukraine. The closure of three television channels, as well as the Nazi radicals' attempts to attack NASH TV channel, are an alarming signal to society that the practice of silencing of dissent, which was so actively harnessed during the Petro Poroshenko time, is coming back to the country. Journalists who have opinions different from the official ones are labelled as “separatists”, “vatniks” (sort of Pro-Russian jingoists) and “agents of Moscow”. The channels are accused of "working for enemy propaganda" without a court order and thorough examination. A new wave of “witch hunt” commences.

In this situation, the first thing attention should be drawn to is the basic principle of democracy – the principle of freedom of speech guaranteed by the Constitution of Ukraine. Whatever the pretext is, no matter how noble the goals are, it is obvious that the principle of freedom of speech is grossly violated.

Святитель Николай - один из любимейших святых нашей Церкви. Он воплотил в жизнь главные заповеди Божии: возлюби Бога и возлюби ближнего своего как самого себя.

Любить - значит приносить себя в жертву другому человеку. Это Божий путь. И святитель показал нам этот путь своими чудесными подвигами и самоотверженным служением людям.

Святой без слов угадывал, в чем нуждается человек и старался помочь. Только любовью наполненное сердце способно на такое. Праздник - это всегда возможность сделать что-то доброе и приятное: порадовать близких, помочь далеким. Не будем пренебрегать этим.

Пусть тепло наших сердец согреет тех, кто нуждается в помощи, заботе, словах поддержки, пусть мир всегда пребывает в наших душах и домах, пусть родные и дорогие нам люди будут всегда рядом, пусть вера в добро никогда не покидает нас.

Мира, любви и радости!

С праздником!

Yesterday, some media outlets released information about “the opening of a case against people's deputy (MP) Novynskyi", referring to RBC-Ukraine as the information source.

Today, the Office of the Prosecutor General gave its official clarification according to which Vadym Novynskyi is not “a person who committed a criminal offense or is suspected of committing it” in the criminal proceedings mentioned in the RBC publication. The requested response from the director of the Kyiv-based Territorial Administration of the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) contains similar information.

According to the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations, Vadym Novynskyi has not been served with any notice of charges under the said proceedings.

In this regard, the information distributed by RBC-Ukraine about the “opening of a case AGAINST MP Novynskyi" is false and damages the reputation of the MP. Vadym Novynskyi's press service demands that RBC-Ukraine publishes a refutation of the incorrect information and brings its official apology, as well as asks other media outlets to exclude this incorrect information from their publications.

The Ministry of Finance and the National Bank of Ukraine should take a more active position and initiate a deferral of payments and, possibly, a restructuring of the state debt. On 21-22 November, Riyadh hosted a very important G20 Summit under the chairmanship of Saudi Arabia. One of its outcomes was the final Declaration, in which the G20 States set down their intention to extend the deferral of debt repayments for the world's poorest countries to a total of USD 5.7 billion until mid-2021.

Ukraine could also initiate negotiations with international creditors to have our external obligations reviewed. To ask for help, we should not wait for the catastrophic deterioration in the economic situation to the level of countries that were granted debt rescheduling by G20. The war, deindustrialization, a sharp drop in foreign investment, and now the coronavirus pandemic put the chances of our economic recovery at threat.

Dear veterans of the Great Patriotic War!

Dear compatriots!

Today we celebrate the 77^th anniversary of the liberation of Kyiv from the Nazis.

On 6 November 1943, the troops of the First Ukrainian Front under the command of Army General Nikolai Vatutin liberated the capital of Ukraine from the Nazi invaders having run a successful Kyiv offensive operation. This was a hard-won liberation. Thousands of soldiers died a hero’s death and remained forever in the Kyiv land. 65 units and formations of the Soviet Army received the honorary title of Kyiv.

We are proud of their feat and remember our heroes who defended Kyiv. Our heroic people withstood, showed their valour, courage and will to victory. The heroism of the victors is our common shrine and pride. This is the greatness of our people. And we will carefully preserve and protect our heroic legacy from attempts to rewrite history and turn the Great Victory into sorrow and reconciliation with the enemy. Let the losers grieve, let those who are unable to learn from the tragic pages of history reconcile with Nazism. For us, the memory of the war and the Great Victory is sacred.

Today marks the tenth anniversary of the death of Viktor Chernomyrdin, a very good friend of Ukraine and a great patriot of Russia, a man who did a lot to ensure that our peoples and countries live in peace and harmony.

I very often recall Viktor Stepanovich, his wisdom and human charm. I was fortunate to be in close touch with this politician and diplomat. Unfortunately, in 2014 and in subsequent years, there was no public figure equal to Viktor Chernomyrdin in the sphere of Ukrainian-Russian relations. He knew how to find a way out of the most difficult situations, how to convince, and foresee. And, I am sure, if he were alive, the history of relations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation could develop according to a different scenario.

Today a vessel named after Viktor Stepanovich Chernomyrdin was launched in Saint Petersburg. A worthy perpetuation of his memory! I would very much like Ukraine to begin to honour its real heroes – those who created the glory of the country, contributed to its development, won the Victory, and not collaborators and perpetrators whose main "valour" was willingness to betray and the ability to hate.

A statement by Oleksiy Reznikov, the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, the Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, a representative of Ukraine in the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk, who called the Donbass a "cancerous tumour" on the body of Ukraine, and its inhabitants – "mentally sick", gives evidence of reinforcement of the "war party" that is trying to continue the line of escalation of the conflict in the East of Ukraine.

“These are sick territories, mentally sick as well. There is an option of complete resection, amputation, or treatment. I am for therapy and full restoration of our body,” said Reznikov, making it clear that he is far from seeking compromises in this matter.

It is noteworthy that such statements are made at a time when the self-proclaimed republics submit their roadmap for resolving the conflict to the Ukrainian side for consideration, and this project has many positive and acceptable points. At the very least, this document could be seen as significant progress in the negotiations. The Ukrainian side had to say its word. If statement by Reznikov is Ukraine's response, then it is the Ukrainian side that now demonstrates its inability to negotiate, in the eyes of the world community.

The current situation related to the Constitutional Court’s decision to abolish e-declarations system, and the presidential bill on the termination of powers of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine highlighted two major problems that deal a heavy blow to the foundations of statehood: firstly, the interference of the Office of the President in the activities of the judicial branch, and, secondly, the interference of foreign states in the internal affairs of Ukraine.

The foundation for the current conflict was laid by Petro Poroshenko’s regime, by his so-called reform of justice and judicial system. The parliament lost its power to dismiss judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine for violation of their oath precisely as a result of changes to the Constitution in 2016. In the course of the so-called “lustration,” many professional lawyers were dismissed, hundreds of courts were dissolved, and “manually managed” puppet judges loyal to the authorities were appointed. Ten out of fifteen judges of the current Constitutional Court of Ukraine were also appointed by Petro Poroshenko’s regime. The politicization of the constitutional justice system is the main reason why the incumbent Constitutional Court, for example, has been unsuccessful in considering the constitutional petition on termination of lustration for more than six years, and the language law petition for more than a year.

Dear compatriots!

76 years ago, on 28 October 1944, after the successful Eastern Carpathian strategic offensive, the Soviet Army came up to the western border of the Ukrainian SSR. Ukraine was liberated from the Nazis.

We will always remember our soldiers-liberators who defeated the German Nazi invaders. We will remember those who fought on the front line, and those who expedited the Victory in the rear, soldiers, mothers, and children. This memory is a true identity and genetic code of our people – the great victorious people who expelled Nazism from our land and revived the country after the war.

A statement by Oleksiy Danilov, the Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine (NSDC), made us doubt about the time we live in and the irreversibility of the changes that came after the presidential elections in 2019. It seems that Mr. Danilov is trying to return to the propaganda methods that Oleksandr Turchynov and Petro Poroshenko were going by at their time. However, unlike Turchynov, Danilov does not openly attack the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, but speaks of some "religious organizations" that initiate conferences, forums and religious processions, being "an instrument of the hybrid war and the Russian world". With his statement Danilov slyly hints and provokes. He cannot but understand that such statements incite sectarian strife in the society, which seemingly subsided with President Zelenskyy coming to office.

According to the Constitution, the NSDC Secretary is a person reporting directly to the President. It would be interesting to know whether Mr. Danilov coordinated his statement with Volodymyr Zelenskyy? Or does every secretary in our country think of himself as the General Secretary?

A call for new presidential elections in the Republic of Belarus is a politicized and thoughtless step from the Verkhovna Rada, which could jeopardise Ukraine's relations with this neighbouring state and, in particular, could jeopardise the work of the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk, destroying the platform for dialogue. This is why I voted against the corresponding draft Resolution in the Parliament today.

Only interests of Ukraine, and not those of third parties, should be the priority of our foreign policy. And interests of Ukraine consist in preserving and developing good neighbourly relations with the Republic of Belarus.

Belarus and its President Alexander Lukashenko have always been very correct and friendly towards Ukraine, not recognizing the annexation of Crimea and providing a platform for negotiations on a peaceful settlement of the situation in the Donbas.

Dear schoolchildren, teachers and parents! And especially first graders!

Today, all of us together with you are opening a new page in life – some of you go to school for the first time, someone takes their child there for the first time, and some of you first ever sit down at a university bench. 

Today, our special thanks go to teachers who are meeting their pupils and students. After parents and family, they are the ones who help us take our first steps into adulthood.

And only having grown up and matured, we realize that years of studies give us much more than just a diploma or certificate. And today many of us, adults, sincerely wish to hear the school bell again and experience this joyful expectation of something new and interesting coming.

During school years, we get the main skill – the ability to learn and cognize. It makes us competitive and successful in modern life. And the common success of our country consists of your future successes.

Today is the day of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary!

The day when She, making intercession on earth, goes to Eternal glory to Her Son and Lord to become our Heavenly Intercessor! The Intercessor and Advocate for the entire humankind, which in any troubles and circumstances, in the most difficult situations, in diseases and sorrows, puts all hope on the Mother of God!

The simplicity and hope with which people who turn to Her, yearning for help and consolation, cannot be but heard!!! The Mother of God has abundantly granted and is granting her grace and blessing. She generously pours out mercy onto the souls of all those who strive to her with unfeigned faith!!!

In the life of each of us, there are situations when we need support and consolation, and not always there is a person nearby who would listen, help or at least sympathize. However, we should never forget about our Heavenly Mother who is glad to comfort, intercede and protect us at any difficult moment. She, like a real Loving Mother, Covers us with Her protective mantle, and we, as loving children, must not forget to thank Her for her great mercies and blessings!!!

Today, together with a group of colleagues, Members of Parliament, we submitted for consideration to the Verkhovna Rada a draft Law on additional guarantees for teachers (reference number 3033a), which provides for the support of teachers in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. Teachers are one of the most vulnerable categories of citizens. In fulfilling their professional duty, they are constantly in contact with children and parents, putting themselves at increased risk.

We often and rightly speak about healthcare workers who are exposed to high risk of infection. Yet, this also applies to teachers to the same extent. We proposed to extend to teachers the provision according to which a diseased teacher must receive compensation from the state in the amount of 100 minimum salaries (UAH 472,300). If the disease has led to disability, the compensation should be increased to 300 minimum salaries (UAH 1,416,900). In the event of a teacher’s death due to coronavirus infection, his/her family must receive compensation from the state in the amount of 750 minimum salaries (UAH 3,542,250).

Dear Friends, 

On this Day of Independence of Ukraine, I would like to wish that our State would gain its true independence – in the understanding that the founding fathers of our country laid down 29 years ago. Without regard to instructions, directives and wishes of foreign mentors and counsellors. Without working in the interests of alien forces, which over the past six years has been presented almost as a standard of “patriotism”.

I wish every citizen of Ukraine would remember that independence is the greatest responsibility – to history and to future generations. I wish every Ukrainian citizen wisdom, peace, prosperity, good health, love and unity. I also wish that they would remember that real friends of Ukraine in the world are not those who come to take advantage of us, covering themselves with good intentions. True friendship is tested by time and deeds. I wish Ukraine had more real, strong and reliable friends!

Today, I addressed the President of Ukraine with the following statement:

“On 9 August, the Republic of Belarus held its presidential elections. According to preliminary information, the overwhelming majority of Belarusian citizens voted for the current president, Alexander Lukashenko.

At the same time, we witness how certain forces in the Belarusian society are trying to influence the results of the expression of will by means of force.

Ukraine experienced similar processes twice. The events observed in Belarus have a lot in common with the events in Ukraine in 2004 and 2014. First of all, we can speak about interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states by external players, artificial support of protest actions from outside in order to destabilize the situation in the country, up to the change of the existing leadership through violent coup. The incitement to physical confrontation with law enforcement agencies and to protest actions is a sneaky and brutal technology to create a snowball effect of protests that would destroy the Belarusian society. All this is presented as "the will of the people" and "the revolution", although the technologies of such "colour revolutions" have long been known.

On 8 August 2020, the Central Election Commission by its decision left a significant part of the Donbas population without the right to vote. On 25 October 2020, no local elections will be held in Svitlodarska, Toretska, Volnovakhska, Olhynska, Vugledarska, Myrnenska, Sartanska, Avdiivska, Mariinska and Ocheretynska amalgamated local communities. In Luhansk region, residents of Hirska, Lysychanska, Nyzhnioteplivska, Popasnyanska, Severodonetska, Stanychno-Luhanska, Shchastynska and Shyrokivska communities will not be able to vote. This is more than half a million people whose constitutional rights are once again neglected by the central government.

However, most of these populated areas held both presidential and parliamentary elections in 2014, local elections in 2015, and residents of these regions showed an all-time high level of support for the president and his party during the presidential and parliamentary elections in 2019. And today the authorities give reasons for the cancellation of local elections such as sharply deteriorated security situation in areas close to the delimitation line, which looks extremely unpersuasive.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Today we are praying in commemoration of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Volodymyr, and we mark another anniversary of the most important milestone in our history – the Baptism of Rus. This is a great landmark event that determined the course of our history and the future of our land for centuries. It also enabled Saint Volodymyr, who enlightened our ancestors with the light of Christ's truth, to become equal to the apostles and be famous for centuries.

Back then, having joined the large family of Christian nations, we became part of the great Christian civilization with its remarkable achievements of thought, high spirituality and the richest creative heritage. The Day of Baptism was even more important for us in a spiritual and moral sense. After all, the Baptism is not just a choice, it is not just a rite. This is the Sacrament of a new birth. Birth not in the flesh, but in spirit. In it, the covenant between God and man is restored. This is why today we are celebrating the Day of spiritual birth of our people.