Antichurch laws and Filaret – Hero of Ukraine: what the Verkhovna Rada will be busy with

The seventh session of the Verkhovna Rada is going to consider 11 bills concerning the religious sphere. All of them are included in the draft agenda awaiting approval.

There are three resonant antichurch bills on the draft agenda, having been criticized both in Ukraine and abroad:

# 4128 – on amending the Law of Ukraine "On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations" (on the change of subordination by religious communities) – a bill that, in the opinion of the majority of experts, will legitimize church raiding in the country.

# 4511 – on the special status of religious organizations whose governing centers are in a state recognized by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine as an aggressor state – although the text of the bill does not refer to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, experts admit that it is directed specifically at the discrimination against the UOC.

# 5309 – on amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations" regarding the names of religious organizations (associations) that are part of a religious organization (association) whose governing center (management) is located outside Ukraine in a state recognized by the law as the one that carried out military aggression against Ukraine and / or temporarily occupied part of the territory of Ukraine – a bill, intended to oblige the UOC to change its name to Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine and forbid the Church to guide the servicemen.

Apart from that, the draft agenda embraces other legislative initiatives in the religious sphere.

In particular, they have to do with the chaplain service:

# 4485 – on Amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On Alternative (Non-Military) Service" (regarding the timing of the application) – regulates the alternative service of believers during mobilization.

# 6646 – on amending the Law of Ukraine "On Alternative (Non-Military) Service" (new edition) – similar innovations.

# 6643 – on amending some legislative acts of Ukraine on the social protection of military chaplains during the antiterrorist operation – makes chaplains equal in terms of guarantees with the military.

On the charters of religious organizations:

# 6642 – on amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On State Registration of Legal Entities, Individual Entrepreneurs and Public Associations" (on registration of documents of religious organizations) – cancels the notarization of charters and minutes of general meetings.

# 6696 – on the introduction of amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine on the non-profit status of religious organizations and their inclusion in the Register of Non-Profit Organizations and Organizations – involves the enshrinement of the non-profit status of religious communities in the Tax Code and abolishment of re-registration of their charters.

Others:

# 1012 – on amending certain laws of Ukraine (regarding the moratorium on the privatization of religious buildings and property) – concerns the protection of the rights of communities to expropriated churches.

# 5496 – on the introduction of amendments to the Labor Code of Ukraine on holidays and non-working days, adds the celebration of the Nativity of Christ on December 25, along with the Catholics.

# 6722 – on introducing amendments to the Regulations of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (regarding the reading of the prayer "Our Father" immediately after the opening of plenary sessions).

Besides, there is a draft Ordinance # 6153 – on the Address of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko on the conferring of the title of Hero of Ukraine to His Holiness Patriarch of Kiev and All Rus-Ukraine Filaret.

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