Expert: In the question of forced name change, court will side with the UOC

Director of the Ukrainian Institute for Policy Analysis and Management Ruslan Bortnik

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church will be able to challenge its renaming in court, said political analyst Ruslan Bortnik in a comment with "GolosUA".

“The court will be on the side of the UOC, but this is not a quick process. Most likely, it will end after the election of the President and the new parliament. This is a very long process, but the legal end regarding the law on the name change will be put only in the next political cycle, ”said the director of the Ukrainian Institute for Policy Analysis and Management Ruslan Bortnik.

The expert noted that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, through legal actions, will be blocking its renaming.

“In April, the UOC will not be able to change its name due to the fact that litigation is still going on. Initially in the courts of the first instance, then appeals. As a result, the UOC will be able to retain its name since its renaming is clearly illegal,” concluded Ruslan Bortnik.

We recall that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church appealed to the Kiev District Administrative Court with a request to recognize the decision of the Ministry of Culture obliging it to indicate its affiliation to the Russian Orthodox Church as unlawful.

As the UOJ reported, on December 20, 2018, the Verkhovna Rada passed a law obliging the UOC in its name to indicate its affiliation to the Russian Orthodox Church. On December 22, this law was signed by the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko. In turn, the UOC announced their intention to challenge bill No 5309 in the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.

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