The head of Russian baptists gave the interview about new amendments to the existing law of conscience and religious organizations.

- What amendments were proposed to the law of conscience?

- There was proposed an item, that a religious group, wanting to get a juridical status, should apply a notice about its activity not to a body of local self-government, but to a territorial form of goverment, which registers organizations.
But the most significant proposition was to add an item, regulating any missionary work.

- What do you think of the item?

- I think, that such a proposition is non-topical. I`m sure, that it will add conflicts into practice. It is obvious, that the active phase of religious activity is far behind. Almost all public areas for religious activity of non-orthodox organizations were closed. I think, that now it is important for revival of civic activity to release a potential of religious organizations. To my mind, believers are the gold fund of a country. They are honest, law-abiding citizens, sacrificial in their service to the Fatherland. It is so important now to create conditions for freedom of conscience, as says the Russian Constitution.

- What is the main problem of the law?

- The main thing is that the lawyers try to squeeze a religious freedom into the Soviet stall, when there was a verbal freedom to believe, but not to say anibody about your faith. It is obvious, that the proposed amendment corresponds to the old dream of some people to prohibit proselytism. I am sure that the item about missionary activity will create an additional tension in society.