Head of UGCC: Law 8371 is not a ban on the Church but its protection

Head of UGCC Sviatoslav Shevchuk. Photo: catholicnewsagency.com

The Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), Sviatoslav Shevchuk, declared that the law adopted by the Verkhovna Rada, known as Bill No. 8371 and referred to in the media as the "UOC Ban Law," is not aimed at banning the Church but at protecting it. This was stated on the official UGCC website.

“Law 8371 is not a ban on the Church, but its protection against the danger of using religion as a weapon. The law concerns all religious organizations with leadership centers in countries recognized by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine as aggressors. Russia has used its controlled Orthodoxy as a tool of militarization, turning it into a neurotropic weapon,” noted the UGCC head.

Shevchuk also stated that the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations supported the core principles of the bill but was not involved in its final drafting.

The head of the Greek Catholics emphasized that, while the law is intended to protect religious freedom from manipulation, it is crucial to monitor how it is implemented in practice. He also expressed concern about potential negative consequences for religious communities and the importance of transparency and clarity in the application of the law.

As reported by the UOJ, on Independence Day, Zelensky signed Law 8371, which allows for the banning of the UOC.

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