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.
Read also
OCU thanks Novovolynsk mayor for transporting people to Dumenko's "service"
Supporters of the OCU sent gratitude to Mayor Borys Karpus for providing transportation to the Holy Dormition Cathedral in Volodymyr.
Khmelnytskyi Eparchy comments on seizure in Kuzmyn
The seizure of the UOC church in Kuzmyn was based on forged documents about changing jurisdiction to the OCU.
Restoration of St Florus Convent: Former KCSA official reported suspicion
A former deputy general director of the Kyiv Scientific and Methodological Center for the Protection and Restoration of Monuments is suspected of embezzling 660 thousand hryvnias of budget funds.
Meeting of UOC Synodal Commission on canonization held in Kyiv
A meeting of the Synodal Commission of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, dedicated to the consideration of issues related to canonization, was held at the Presentation (Vvedensky) Monastery in Kyiv.
Archaeologists uncover 4th-century Christian church complex near Rome
In the ancient port city of Ostia near Rome, archaeologists have uncovered a large early Christian complex with a church and bishop's palace dating back to the 4th century.
Vance praises Georgian patriarch's work
The U.S. vice president spoke positively about the role of the primate of the Georgian Church in preserving Christian values in the country.