Priests subordinated to the Diocese of Balti and Fălești, led by Bishop Marchel, have engaged in a campaign against the referendum on joining the European Union, according to an investigation by Nord News. Priest Pavel Petrov of “Saint Mina” Church of Balti was particularly noted for his sermon of September 21, in which he criticized the European Union and the current government for obstructing the church’s work and promoting false information, IPN reports.

“Today we can worship, talk and live freely... Democracy, what kind of democracy? When they impose all their filth brought from Europe on us. Why don’t they import good roads, efficient pharmacies from Europe? Why don’t they bring something else, like the teachings there? They only brought their filth,” said the priest from Balti.

Priest Pavel also declared, swearing with the cross in his hand, that the European Union is “devoid of values” and that the current government import “the worst” from there. He erroneously stated that in some schools in Chisinau, the toilets are unisex, but these assertions are contradicted by objective realities.

For their part, representatives of the Ministry of Education and Research reacted, noting that the sanitary and gender measures are observed in all educational institutions of the Republic of Moldova.

“In the Republic of Moldova, as in the whole world, we have standards for educational institutions, sanitary-hygienic standards, which provide very clearly that the sanitary facilities for children, which are intended for boys and girls, and absolutely no one, in no way modified them. We confirm, with certainty, that in educational institutions, all the standards that existed so far, related to gender representation, have been maintained. These are gross falsehoods,” said Corina Lungu, the representative of the Ministry of Education and Research.

Petru Macovei, executive director of the Association of Independent Press, said that the church subordinated to the Metropolitan Church of Moldova is part of the “fifth column”, which showed its real face through the actions of priest Pavel Petrov.

“The priest resorts to obvious falsehoods, trying to polarize particular parishioners against the European Union. He lies shamelessly when he says that no roads or other benefits are brought from the European Union, although the reality proves the opposite. I am absolutely convinced that this character has no place in the church and the Metropolitan Church of Moldova should take a stand in this regard. Considering that many priests of the Metropolitan Church of Moldova participated in pilgrimages financed by Ilan Shor, I tend to think that these actions are influenced on instructions coming from Moscow, from Shor in particular, which this priest and many others fulfil. I am sorry that the Moldovan church seems to be turning into a fifth column,” Petru Macovei told Nord News.

Nordnews journalists contacted priest Pavel Petrov by phone to ask him if he had given an anti-EU speech in front of Christians in Balti on September 21. But he vehemently denied that he had such a message.