UOC representatives in AUCCRO not allowed into Cabinet of Ministers

Shmyhal did not allow the UOC representatives into the Cabinet of Ministers. Photo: AUCCRO

The authorities did not allow representatives of the UOC as part of the delegation of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organisations to the meeting with Prime Minister D. Shmyhal, which took place on 19 October 2023 in the building of the Cabinet of Ministers. In a statement of the UOC DECR, published on the official website, such actions are called discriminatory.

"Despite the fact that the candidates for the meeting participants from the UOC were submitted by the AUCCRO in advance, they were denied a meeting with the Prime Minister of Ukraine as part of the AUCCRO without communicating the reasons," the statement said.

The DECR recalled that according to Article 5 of the law "On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organisations", "the establishment of any advantages or restrictions of one religion, denomination or religious organisation in relation to others is not allowed".

"We believe that the obstacles faced by the representatives of the UOC from the Government are unacceptable and indicate a discriminatory policy towards the Ukrainian Orthodox Church," the report said.

As reported, the Verkhovna Rada voted to ban the UOC.

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