Stefanchuk outlines condition for voting on law to ban UOC

Ruslan Stefanchuk. Photo: Getty Images

Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, announced that signatures are being collected in parliament for Bill No. 8371, which would effectively ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). According to the Speaker, the bill will be considered once 240 signatures are collected, reports Espresso.

"My signature is there; I don't know how many signatures have been collected. There are organizers – deputies who are handling the collection. But I believe that as soon as we reach the number of 240, this bill will certainly and immediately be submitted to the Ukrainian parliament," Stefanchuk said.

He assured journalists that signatures are being gathered to ensure that the majority will immediately vote for the ban on the UOC.

"I emphasize once again: we have no chance of not voting or of lacking votes. That is why the coordination council has decided that we need to see 240 signed votes – and then this bill will be considered in the Verkhovna Rada," added the Speaker.

As the UOJ reported, the leader of "European Solidarity" called for the publication of the names of the MPs who do not wish to vote for the anti-church bill and to ask them about the "true reasons" for their unwillingness to vote for the law banning the UOC.

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