Rada to consider bill banning Moscow-linked church next week - MP

The Verkhovna Rada will next week consider a bill banning the activities of religious organizations in Ukraine, particularly those affiliated with Russia.

Yevheniia Kravchuk, deputy head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy, announced this on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.

"The Verkhovna Rada will consider Bill No. 8371 next week as the first item on the agenda! Today, the Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy unanimously approved the amendments to Draft Law No. 8371 and recommended that the parliament adopt it at second reading and in its entirety," Kravchuk wrote.

She also spoke about the key changes in the revised document.

In particular, the new name of the bill was approved -- "On the protection of the constitutional order in the sphere of activity of religious organizations." Earlier, the document was called "On the introduction of amendments to some laws of Ukraine regarding the activity of religious organizations in Ukraine."

The terms of entry into force of certain regulations have also been changed. In particular, it is assumed that the law will enter into force 30 days after its publication, and the clause that allows the Cabinet of Ministers to prepare the relevant regulatory framework for the implementation of the law will take effect the next day after its publication.

The clause, which will help apply to the court for the termination of the activity of a religious organization affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church and the aggressor country, will enter into force nine months after its publication.

According to the MP, editorial changes were also made from the point of view of compliance of the document with all codes of Ukraine and administrative law.

Another important amendment concerns religious organizations that have no ties to Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church.

"We made clarification regarding the preferential use of state and municipal property for religious purposes - free rental of premises by religious organizations for holding services, ceremonies and other events. But we added a safeguard so that there would be no abuse - such use is possible only in accordance with the procedure approved by the Cabinet of Ministers," she said.

Kravchuk emphasized that the bill is based on the idea that the state does not prohibit religious organizations, because there is freedom of religion in Ukraine.

"But there is an important 'but' – there can no ties with the aggressor country and the Russian Orthodox Church. The committee demonstrated its constructiveness and unity in this matter. In the same way, next week we count on constructiveness and unity to ensure the spiritual independence of Ukraine. It will be a historic moment next week," she said.

The government in January 2023 registered in the Verkhovna Rada Bill No. 8371 on the prohibition of religious organizations in Ukraine, according to which the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate might be terminated.

On October 19, 2023, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the bill at first reading.

On July 23, Ukrainian lawmakers blocked the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada due to the refusal to consider the bill banning the Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, thus disrupting the plenary session.