The Movement of Orthodox Lawyers in Moldova, together with a group of priests, and believers organized a protest against the compulsory vaccination in the Grand National Assembly Square.

The representative of the protesters, Elena Bîtcă, announced that she will submit a request to the Presidency of Moldova and the Ministry of Health, by which, on behalf of the protesters, she will demand “an end to discrimination and harassment vaccination against COVID-19; vaccination should be based on voluntary principles.” Elena Bîtcă also insisted that the new Government should be informed about the attitude of the citizens towards vaccination.

The Archpriest of Orhei, Iulian Rață, confirmed that he came to protest with the blessing of the Metropolitan Church of Moldova, in order to manifest his attitude against compulsory vaccination and to support human freedom.

The Secretary of the Diocese of Ungheni, Vadim Corostinschi, declared that he came to defend his freedom, as a man and as a citizen.

Eugen Munteanu, one of the protesters, when asked by ZdG why he is against compulsory vaccination, said that he does not want anyone “to chip him and be a cyborg.”

The theologian Nicolae Fuștei, asked by ZdG about his position on this protest, declared that he disapproves of “the participation of priests in political actions, this being certainly a political action.”

We requested the opinion of Professor Victor Cojocaru, head of the Anesthesia and Intensive Care Clinic at the Republican Clinical Hospital “Timofei Moşneaga”, where the patients with the most dangerous situation of COVID-19 are hospitalized. Professor Cojocaru specified that “the vaccination for the entire population is not real because there are many contraindications.” According to Victor Cojocaru, “those who work directly with people should be vaccinated because they endanger the lives of others.”

We tried to find out the opinions of some abbesses present at the protest, but they refused to answer any questions.

Bishop Ioan, Metropolitan Vicar, confirmed that there would be coordination between the Metropolitan Church of Moldova and today’s protest actions, only that “the Metropolitanate is not against vaccination, but against compulsory vaccination.”

The protesters marched to the presidency.

The Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Russian and Romanian Patriarchates, publicly support the idea of vaccination, and the most illustrious theologians of the 21st century, such as Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos or Metropolitan Tikhon Shevkunov, have also been vaccinated, making public their immunization data.