Human Policy Committee proposes VR to approve two bills against UOC

Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy Evhenia Kravchuk. Photo: rada.gov.ua

On December 12, 2022, the Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy of the Verkhovna Rada called on the parliament to approve in the first reading two laws: on the prohibition in Ukraine of the “organizations that may be related to or subordinate to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC)” and on a voluntary change of confession by religious communities. This was reported by the VR press service.

Commenting on the proposal of the Humanitarian Committee, Deputy Chairman of the Committee, MP from the Servant of the People faction Yevhenia Kravchuk noted that, according to the decree of President Volodymyr Zelensky (No. 820/2022), the UOC cannot exist and operate on the territory of Ukraine, because "in fact, it is an FSB division."

“They (the UOC – Ed.) approve of the genocide of Ukrainians and bless it,” Kravchuk said, adding that religious structures with canonical relations to the ROC pose a threat to Ukraine.

An important component of the presidential decree is state property, which is leased by individual religious communities, Kravchuk stressed.

"At least two Lavras – Pochaiv and Kyiv-Pechersk – are the property of the state and are part of cultural reserves," the official recalled.

She also stated that in Ukraine it is necessary to ensure the right of citizens to move “from one Church to another” without interference.

“We do not put pressure on freedom of conscience or religion,” the MP emphasized.

In her opinion, Ukrainian society "welcomes the actions of law enforcement officers who do their job and identify outright traitors and collaborators."

As the UOJ wrote, the Humanitarian Committee of the Verkhovna Rada recommended adopting a law to ban the UOC.

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