“Church Law” will bury a visa-free regime for Ukraine – political expert’s viewpoint

A scandalous draft law #4128, which is going to be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada, will not only violate the rights of religious organizations of Ukraine but also create considerable barriers on the way to enjoying a visa-free regime with Europe. It was commented to the UOJ by Andrey Vidishenko, political expert, member of the Royal Institute for International Relations Chatham House (London).

Draft law #4128 will jeopardize all denominations of our country, assures Mr. Vidishenko. It opens a real Pandora’s Box, since its adoption enables to seize any parish, any church. To do that one will have to refer to the draft law provisions that make it possible for outsiders in an extremely easy way to determine fates of a given church community. 

Let’s fancy the following situation. For example, there is a Greek-Catholic church near my house. If I happen to come into the church and put a candle, I can immediately believe myself a fully-fledged member of this congregation, according to the rationale of the draft law. Besides, I can demand that my opinion be taken into account by adopting decisions within the community. If there are enough people like me, we’ll be able to bring the church under a different jurisdiction. Even a Muslim one. What is important is we should outnumber those who regularly go to the church and actually participate in its life – through weekly divine worships, confession, communion, common obedience. 

According to the expert, the law adoption will seriously undermine attitudes vis-à-vis Ukraine in terms of being granted a visa-free regime with the EU. “The implementation of the initiative in question will blow up a religious situation in our country. We will become witnesses of the cold acts of church raiding, warns Mr. Vidishenko. However, it should be taken into account that unlawful actions will result in violation of fundamental human rights, the right to freedom of conscience and belief being number one. National and European courts are sure to be overloaded with suits – that will hit straight the implementation by Kiev of the Action Plan on visa liberalization, wherein the block relating to the observance of fundamental rights is prioritized. Europe will hardly turn a blind eye to this outrageous fact. Thus, hopes and anticipations of some part of the Ukrainian society for enjoying a visa-free regime may finally vanish into thin air.”        

Pursuant to draft law #4128, “affiliation of an individual to a religious community is determined by their self-identification, as evidenced by participation of an individual in the religious life of a particular community.” It means any person, who decided to be faithful and attends a church even once a year, can influence the life of the religious community.

The life of the congregation is therefore supposed to be regulated by the majority opinion. Yet, considering the first paragraph, this majority can be made up of the people who are absolutely unfamiliar to a true religious life.

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