MP: Those who did not vote for UOC ban considered electorate’s opinion
Yasko explained that the deputies did not want to ‘build PR’ on the adoption of the anti-church law.
Yasko, a member of the Servant of the People Party, explained why some MPs were reluctant to vote for the ban on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In an interview with Glavkom, Yasko said that certain MPs did not support bill No. 8371 due to their focus on the sentiments of their electorate, particularly in regions where the UOC holds influence.
"Overall, the majority of the faction supported the bill but didn't want to build political PR on it. To answer your question: no, no one personally approached me or told me how to vote. I know that some MPs had reservations about the bill. They are taking into account the views of their communities, which are still influenced by the Moscow Patriarchate. That's why such deputies didn't want to take a stance on this issue. But in the end, we voted it and gave 260 votes, which is a lot, much more than the required 226," Yasko stated.
As reported by the UOJ, the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States condemned the Ukrainian anti-church law.