VR Speaker: Banning UOC is not on Parliament’s agenda

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk said in an interview with RBC-Ukraine that the bill to ban the UOC will not be considered in the near future.

"We have been discussing this issue for a long time within our political groups. And despite the fact that everyone somewhere inside has their own internal decision <...>, we have agreed as follows: during the war we have no right to pass any law that splits the Ukrainian society," Stefanchuk said.

As reported, in March 2022 several draft laws to ban the UOC were registered in the Verkhovna Rada at once. One of them was authored by Oksana Savchuk, an MP of the Ivano-Frankivsk region, whose regional centre has only one temple of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

The Advisor to the Head of the President’s Office Mykhaylo Podoliak was critical of the idea of banning the UOC and urged not to speculate on issues of faith.

Read also

Teen who set fire to synagogue sentenced in Kryvyi Rih

A court sentenced a minor to two years of probation supervision after he admitted guilt and compensated for damages caused by the arson of a synagogue building.

"KyivPride" organizers announced dates for holding LGBT march in capital

Activists plan to hold mass events in June 2026.

Monastic tonsures performed at Kyiv Theological Academy

The Rector of the Kyiv Theological Schools, Archbishop Sylvester, tonsured four students of the academy and seminary into monasticism.

No language law violations found at Holosiiv Monastery school

The inspection found no evidence of Russian-language instruction in the school that operated on the grounds of the Holosiiv Monastery.

Czech authorities intend to seize three largest churches from Church, source

In Prague, preparations have begun to terminate lease agreements concluded with Orthodox church communities.

Filaret hospitalized

The UOC-KP reported a deterioration in the condition of their leader.