Rada adopts amendments to the law "On the Military Chaplaincy Service"

Bill No. 10313 by David Arakhamia has been adopted in the first reading.

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has approved as the basis (in the first reading) the draft Law of Ukraine "On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding Ensuring the Rights of Servicemen and Police Officers to Social Protection," reports ІРС. This bill will amend the Law of Ukraine "On Military Chaplaincy Service".

According to the bill, the provisions of the Law of Ukraine "On Military Chaplaincy Service" (hereinafter referred to as the Law), in addition to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and other military formations formed by the laws of Ukraine, will apply to Ukraine's intelligence agencies (Article 3).

The draft also proposes to supplement Article 7 of the Law with a new part 3, according to which "a person belonging to a religious organization (association), which under Article 12 of the Law of Ukraine 'On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations', is recognized as part of a religious organization (association), the governing centre (administration) of which is located in a state recognized by law as having committed military aggression against Ukraine and/or temporarily occupied part of the territory of Ukraine, cannot be a military chaplain”.

Section IV of the "Final Provisions" of the Law is proposed to be supplemented with a new sub-paragraph 1-1, which notes "the positions of military chaplains may be filled both by persons who have concluded a contract for military service as officers and carry out military chaplaincy activities in units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, other military formations formed under the laws of Ukraine, and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, as well as by civilian persons for the term of five years from the date of taking office."

As reported, according to the head of the "Synodal Administration of Military Chaplaincy of the OCU" Ivan Yaremenko, only 80 chaplains from his structure are currently serving in the army, although 494 mandates have been allocated for the OCU.

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