DESS cannot say when clergy exemption starts

Illustrative photo: sud.ua

As of today, the process of reserving clergy during the mobilisation period in Ukraine is still at the stage of preparation and implementation. The State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS) states that the final mechanism is not yet operational, reports the Judicial and Legal Newspaper.

DESS stated that in order to develop this mechanism, it is necessary to check religious organisations for the relevant criteria.

According to officials, the mere existence of a religious organisation does not automatically mean its clergy can be reserved. A religious organisation will only be classified as critical after the department verifies its compliance with special criteria, established by a DESS order, and includes it in the relevant list.

This list is still being formed. DESS claims it is reviewing all religious organisations whose registration details were entered into the State Register no later than 26 December 2024.

It is noted that the actual reservation (exemption) of clergy will only become possible after DESS approves the list of critically important religious organisations, as well as the procedure for reserving clergy, which will specify the documents required for clergy to be granted a military deferment during mobilisation.

The list of religious organisations and the Procedure for the Reservation of Clergy will be published on the official DESS website once they are approved.

On 26 December 2024, the Cabinet of Ministers decided that religious organisations could be granted critical status for the functioning of the economy and the provision of vital services during a special period. The clergy from such organisations could be granted a deferment from military service during mobilisation. In turn, DESS published a list of criteria under which religious figures could be granted a mobilisation deferment. Later, the head DESS discussed whether priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) would be exempted from mobilisation.

As previously reported by the UOJ, the State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience was also unable to answer how many communities in Ukraine are "affiliated with the ROC".

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