Poltava City Council deputy: UOC bans by local authorities are illegitimate
Poltava City Council deputy Yulia Horodchanina. Photo: a video screenshot of the YouTube channel "Mykola Knyazhytskyy"
The Poltava City Council deputy from "European Solidarity", Yuliya Horodchanina, said that decisions to ban the UOC adopted by the city and regional councils have no legitimacy. She made a commentary in the film "The Church without Christ", filmed by the "EU" MP Mykola Knyazhytskyy and published on his YouTube channel.
She noted that people should not be deceived by telling them that the decisions of local councils banned the Church’s operation.
According to her, the ban on the UOC in the regions is not a legitimate decision but only a statement of this or that position.
The city councillor also recalled that the Poltava City Council was able to vote in favour of an appeal to the Rada and the President in which it asked to ban the UOC only at the third attempt "under pressure from people". While the Poltava Regional Council managed to take the same decision at the fourth attempt.
"I do not want to imitate, pretend and tell people that here look, we are good, we banned the Church. In fact, nothing has happened, everyone continues to work. You can not deceive your people. That is why we appeal to the Verkhovna Rada," she added.
As reported, the head of the DESS said that local authorities cannot ban the UOC because it is illegal.
Read also
Armenian bishops call on authorities to stop Church persecution
At a meeting in Austria, hierarchs of the Armenian Apostolic Church reaffirmed their faithfulness to Catholicos Karekin II of All Armenians and called on the authorities to stop the persecution of the clergy.
Italian media: Ukrainian authorities persecute the country’s largest confession
The Italian outlet L’Identità reported on mass searches, the arrests of clergy, and the ban on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which it describes as the largest Church in Ukraine.
Festival marking Orthodox Youth Day held in UOC's Volyn Eparchy
In Lutsk, the UOC’s annual youth forum brought together parish groups, clergy, and participants in a creative program for Orthodox Youth Day.
London mayor switches on festive Ramadan lights
In London, the Muslim mayor inaugurated Ramadan illuminations: a central street was decorated with a “Happy Ramadan” sign and Islamic-style ornaments.
DESS: Ramadan is a time of special closeness to the Almighty
DESS congratulated Ukraine’s Muslims on the beginning of Ramadan.
Jehovah’s witness pastor sentenced in Lviv region for refusing TRC service
A court in Lviv region sentenced a Jehovah’s Witness pastor to five years in prison for unauthorized absence from his unit and for refusing to serve as a TRC cook.