VR Committee does not support deferment from mobilization for priests

The Verkhovna Rada Committee proposes to call priests to alternative service. Photo: UNIAN Collage

The VR Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence continued the consideration of amendments to the draft law on mobilization and did not support the provision of deferment and reservation for clergy. This was stated by the MP from the European Solidarity party Iryna Friz.

The committee believes that issues of alternative service for individuals who are religious preachers, mentors, or other clergy of religious organizations should be regulated by another legislative initiative: the "Alternative Service Law", rather than the mobilization law.

"After all, all citizens have equal rights and responsibilities according to the Constitution, regardless of their religious and other beliefs," the Committee explained the rationale for this decision.

As the UOJ reported, the Secretary of the Khust Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Archpriest Ioan Rozman, was forcibly mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

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