Ukraine's parliament passes law banning Russian Orthodox Church
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At its Tuesday meeting, the Verkhovna Rada adopted Law No. 8371 in its second reading and as a whole on banning the activities of religious organizations associated with Russia in Ukraine, Golos MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak reported.
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265 parliamentarians voted "for".
Votes by factions:
→ Servant of the People – 173;
→ European Solidarity – 25;
→ Batkivshchyna – 17;
→ Platform for Life and Peace – 1;
→ For Future – 9;
→ Golos – 18;
→ Dovira – 11;
→ Restoration of Ukraine – 0;
→ Non-partisan – 11.
The explanatory note states that the draft law was created with the aim of banning the activities of religious organizations in Ukraine whose leadership is located in a country that is waging armed aggression against Ukraine.
"Considering the fact that the Russian Orthodox Church is an ideological continuation of the regime of the aggressor state, an accomplice in war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the name of the Russian Federation and the ideology of the Russian world, the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine are prohibited," reads the text of the comparative table before the second reading.
The activities of religious organizations related to the Russian Orthodox Church are not allowed. They cease their activities by court order, but can be reinstated if they cease contact with the Russian Orthodox Church.
On August 17, representatives of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations issued a joint statement regarding the ban on the activities of the Moscow Patriarchate church in Ukraine.
"We support the legislative initiative of the President of Ukraine to disable the activities of such organizations in our country, which also has broad political and public support," the message reads.
On October 19, 2023, the Verkhovna Rada in the first reading supported the draft law, which provides legal grounds for banning the Moscow Patriarchate church.
On July 23, 2024, a number of lawmakers blocked the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada due to their refusal to consider in the second reading the draft law, which provides legal grounds for banning the Moscow Patriarchate church. After that, the legislature adjourned.
On July 24 , Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk denied the "recess" in the Ukrainian parliament and stated that the MPs will continue their work, in particular, on the preparation for the vote of the draft law on banning the Moscow Patriarchate church.
On August 5, MP Mykyta Poturayev, the head of the Council's Committee on Humanitarian Affairs and Information Policy, said that the Servant of the People is ready to give only up to 150 votes for this bill in the second reading.
