They did so only in fascist camps, – expert about bill No. 5309

According to the director of the Ukrainian Institute for Policy Analysis and Management Ruslan Bortnik, bill No. 5309 is an unprecedented intervention in the affairs of the Church. The bill proposes to make changes to the name of religious organizations whose control centre is located in the country recognized by the Verkhovna Rada as an aggressor state. The political scientist expressed his opinion in an interview with the "The First Cossack" channel.

"The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate – there is no such a name: in Ukraine there is only the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. This is the official name of the Church, whose centre is in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra," said Ruslan Bortnik. "The UOC is the largest Church in Ukraine. An attempt to rename it by legislative act is a gross violation of the basic rights of organizations and people to their own name. In addition to self-promotion, this is also a discrediting element: if the Church can be renamed in this way, this will give an opportunity to intensify the attack on the UOC and parishes, strengthen schismatic tendencies and squeeze the Church into margins. But I think that even the current parliament is most likely not to do this. In case it should pass, this decision can easily be appealed in any court, including an international one because it is impossible to deprive people of the right to self-determination. This right in modern history was deprived of only once – in fascist concentration camps people were taken away their name, and instead they were given numbers inked on their hand."

Read also

Lionel Messi thanks God for his achievements as he ends international career

Argentine football star Lionel Messi credited God for his success as he brought his international career to a close, saying he could never have achieved so much without God's will.

Odesa’s St. Elijah Monastery honors memory of its founder

Metropolitan Agafangel led celebrations at St. Elijah Monastery in Odesa on the feast day of St. Gabriel of Mount Athos.

OCU cleric rejects suspension, accuses ruling bishop of usurping power

An OCU cleric called the decree suspending him "canonically null and void" and accused "Bishop" Semanchuk of attempting to seize parishes and using mobilization threats as blackmail.

Supreme Court: Religious beliefs do not exempt citizens from mobilization

The Supreme Court has clarified that Ukrainian law does not provide for alternative civilian service under martial law.

Ukraine birth rate drops 17%, demographer says

The head of a department at Ukraine’s Institute of Demography has reported a sharp decline in the country's birth rate.

Khust Eparchy honors memory of St. Job of Uholka

A Liturgy is served in Mala Uholka, a birthplace of St. Job of Uholka, on the saint's feast day.