Ukrainian parliament's speaker signs law banning activities of religious organisations linked to Russia

Ruslan Stefanchuk, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Ukrainian Parliament), has signed and sent to the president a bill banning the activities of religious organisations affiliated with Russia in Ukraine, which could make it impossible for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) to operate, as well as a number of other documents adopted by the parliament this week.

Source: Stefanchuk in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda

Quote: "This week, the Verkhovna Rada voted for a number of important bills for the country. I have signed them today [23 August – UP] and sent them to the president for his signature. In particular, we are talking about document No. 8371, which concerns ensuring the constitutional order in terms of religious relations, which is popularly called the prohibition of the influence of the Russian church on Ukraine."

Details: Stefanchuk also noted that he had signed and sent to the president a whole block of "military" laws, including those on simplifying the acquisition of Ukrainian citizenship by foreign volunteers, as well as support for Ukrainian soldiers who carry out combat orders outside the Ukrainian state.

In addition, the speaker said that he had signed several ratifications, including the Rome Statute, that had been voted on by the Verkhovna Rada.

Stefanchuk expressed confidence that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would sign these documents in the near future.

Background:

• On 20 August, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a law banning religious organisations in Ukraine that are linked to the Russian Federation.
• The UOC-MP stated that it plans to continue operating as a "true church" and that any attempts to ban it from operating in Ukraine might discredit those behind the attempts.
• Mykyta Poturaiev, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy, noted that the withdrawal of the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Onufriy, from the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church was not enough to enforce the law.

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