Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting with the Council of Churches.
The head of state discussed with the clergy a bill banning the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine. The head of state is convinced that this document will eliminate any manipulations by Moscow in relation to the Ukrainian church. The president stated this on August 16 during his evening address.
The Verkhovna Rada has been offered a bill that can really guarantee that there will be no manipulations from Moscow of the Ukrainian church. This bill should work and should add conciliarity to Ukraine, our real spiritual unity, he noted.
As is known, bill No. 8371 on the ban on religious organizations in Ukraine, according to which the activities of the UOC MP may be terminated, was submitted by the government to the Verkhovna Rada in January 2023. In October of the same year, this draft law was adopted by parliament in the first reading.
In July 2024, MPs blocked the Verkhovna Rada rostrum due to the refusal to consider a bill banning the UOC-Moscow Patriarchate. That day, the plenary session was disrupted.
Let us recall that today, August 16, the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy at a meeting recommended that deputies adopt in the second reading and as a whole draft law No. 8371, which prohibits the activities of religious organizations affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine.
Source: Racurs
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