Verkhovna Rada Speaker: There are no votes in parliament to ban UOC

Ruslan Stefanchuk. Photo: Radio Liberty

Ruslan Stefanchuk said in an interview with Radio Liberty that a legislative proposal to ban the UOC is not being brought to the Verkhovna Rada because the required 226 votes for its adoption have not been secured.

"Parliament is a mechanism that makes decisions collectively. And I believe that as long as there are no 226 votes around such an important legislative act, presenting it to the floor, letting it fail just to please the Russian Federation, is simply meaningless and legally and politically irresponsible," Stefanchuk said.

According to him, he "really wants to believe" that he will see these 226 votes, but there is currently an internal discussion not only within the "Servant of the People" party but also in other parties that "position themselves as very patriotic".

"Why go far when within the faction we're talking about, there are former or current priests of this Church," Stefanchuk explained, adding that as soon as 226 votes are gathered, the Conciliation Council of the Rada will make a decision on the adoption of this law.

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