MP: Adoption of law on UOC will block Ukraine's EU accession

People's Deputy of Ukraine Yevhen Shevchenko. Photo: unian.net

Member of the Ukrainian Parliament, Yevhen Shevchenko, stated that the adoption of the bill No. 8371 in the second reading would obstruct Ukraine's accession to the European Union. He made this statement in a comment to KDAiS student Mykhailo Pratsiuk, published on the seminarian's Telegram channel.

According to the MP, before bringing the bill to a vote in the second reading, the Venice Commission must conduct an expert examination and assess the document's compliance with EU standards and norms.

Shevchenko is also confident that the bill prohibiting the UOC has no prospects, while "witch hunting" will have finsihed before the bill itself is "lost".

"Everyone will understand that we have a Constitution, according to which the Church is separated from the state, and no one can impose any religion to be mandatory in the country," he said.

The MP once again reminded that if any representatives of the UOC violate the law, each individual should be held accountable separately.

"I think it will all end soon. The military frowns upon this (persecution of the UOC – Ed.). Many soldiers on the front line are parishioners of the UOC," Shevchenko added.

As reported by the the UOJ, a human rights activist stated that the bill banning the UOC contains formulations that violate human rights.

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