Members of the public association “Moldova Mea” called on Metropolitan Bishop Vladimir to leave his post voluntarily and requested the Moscow Patriarchate to send a commission to examine the actions and statements of His Holiness. These also demand verifying the source of the charity provided by Vladimir Filat to the Metropolitan Bishop. The reaction comes after the His Holiness Vladimir called upon the competent state institutions that investigate the accusations made against Vlad Filat to allow placing the Liberal-Democratic leader under house arrest.
In a news conference at IPN on October 21, the Association’s head Fiodor Ghelici said the Metropolitan Bishop exceeded all the ethical limits and creates the impression that the Church turned into a commercial and political business.
Fiodor Ghelici noted he represents the position of over 300 members of the association and of a group of priests who sought help from him, arguing they can no longer endure the wrongdoings committed by the Metropolitan Bishop. The priests asked not revealing their names. They are indignant at the behavior and actions of the Bishop, including at the financial plan that each church must fulfill monthly by collecting a particular amount of money. The priests said they live on the money offered by the parishioners and many of priests’ wives had to go abroad to work so as to maintain the family.
The association’s head said the people go to church to show faith and love for God, not for the Metropolitan Bishop. He noted that he never saw Church officials to plead for someone’s release or to make political statements.
“This gesture discredited the Church and caused a division in society. Now everyone says that His Holiness Vladimir is corrupt and was bought by Filat, but the most serious fact is that he, as the head of the Church, covers the crimes and acts of corruption committed by Filat against the people,” said the association’s member Maria Lungu.
The members of “Moldova Mea” intend to submit a letter to the Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia whereby they will ask sending a commission to verify the activities of His Holiness Vladimir as the hierarch of the Moldovan Metropolitan Church.
