Verkhovna Rada adopts Bill No. 8371 banning the UOC

Verkhovna Rada. Photo: Censor

On August 20, 2024, the Verkhovna Rada adopted in full the draft law No. 8371 "On the Protection of the Constitutional Order in the Sphere of Religious Organizations", aimed at banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).

The decision was supported by 265 members of Parliament, with 29 voting against and 4 abstaining. In the "Servant of the People" faction, 173 MPs voted in favor of the law, "European Solidarity" gave 25 votes, "Batkivschyna" ("Fatherland") – 17, "Platform for Life and Peace" – 1, "For the Future" – 9, "Holos" ("Voice") – 18, "Dovira" ("Trust") – 11, and "Restoration of Ukraine" – 0. Independent MPs contributed 11 votes.

The law will come into force 30 days after its publication, except for one provision – UOC communities will have 9 months to sever ties with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).

On July 23, MPs blocked the podium of the Verkhovna Rada due to the refusal to consider the bill banning the UOC, thereby disrupting the plenary session.

On August 16, the Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy approved amendments to Bill No. 8371 and recommended that Parliament adopt it in the second reading and in full.

The All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations, without the participation of UOC representatives, stated on August 17 that it supports the legislative initiative to ban religious organizations associated with the ROC in Ukraine.

As previously reported by the Union of Orthodox Journalists, on August 15, President Zelensky urged the Rada to convene and resolve the issue of "spiritual independence".

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