Authorities respond to petition against the ban on UOC

Voynalovych and Yelensky. Photo: facebook.com/repcu.org

Journalist Yulia Kominko published on her Facebook page a letter from the State Ethnopolitics regarding a petition against the ban on the UOC.

The author of the petition stated that this response contains “a gross violation of the Law of Ukraine No. 393/96-BP regarding the procedure for responding to an electronic petition and is a manifestation of disregard for the 25,000 citizens of Ukraine who signed the petition.”

“The Prime Minister of Ukraine had to publicly answer us what measures would be taken in order to resolve the problem outlined in the petition. Instead, we received a document signed by the first Deputy Chairman of the State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience with a list of general phrases about what the state knows what it is doing. What exactly the government is doing and how it plans to solve the situation is not reported,” Yulia Kominko wrote.

“What do we end up with? 25,000 citizens of Ukraine asked the government to take measures to resolve the issue with the UOC, given that the believers of the UOC take a patriotic position. However, some official of the tenth rank answered them on his personal behalf that “Moscow is killing our children,” she added.

“Let the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine find out where I am filing a complaint regarding why dear Mr. Viktor Voynalovych, who signed the answer to the petition of 25,000 citizens, assumed the functions of the Prime Minister of Ukraine. Anyway, it is obvious that this document is just a reply and evidence that the tools of democracy proposed by the state to address acute social problems do not work. This means that on the basis of value judgments and biased vision, the government will take repressive measures against its own citizens, limiting their constitutional right to freedom of religion,” summed up Yulia Kominko.

As the UOJ previously reported, Shmyhal instructed the State Ethnopolitics to respond to the petition against the ban on the UOC.

Read also

Petition Warns Canada’s Hate Speech Law Could Criminalize Scripture

Thousands of Canadians have signed a petition urging the Liberal government to drop proposed hate-speech changes that critics warn could criminalize quoting the Bible and other religious texts.

JD Vance: Criticizing Israel Is Not Antisemitism

Vice President JD Vance said opposing Israeli policies is not the same as antisemitism, sparking debate over where criticism of Israel ends and hatred of Jews begins.

First Orthodox Prayer Book Published in Indonesian Language

The first Orthodox prayer book in Indonesian has been published and presented in Bekasi, providing local faithful and new converts with a vital resource for prayer and liturgical life.

OCA Joins Legal Challenge to Illinois Abortion Referral Law

Amicus brief argues mandate violates religious freedom and compels pro-life providers to contradict their faith.

EXCLUSIVE: Leaked Ukrainian Memo Says Religious Freedom is ‘Achilles Heel’

In an emergency strategy meeting held in response to the Society of St. John's Day of Action, D.C.-based Ukrainian lobbyists acknowledged the weight of the religious freedom issue as it pertains to the Ukrainian government’s public perception.

Historic $2.9 Million Bequest Strengthens Greek Orthodox Foundation

The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago Foundation has received a record $2.9 million bequest from the late Andy Efthim, a devoted layman whose faith-filled generosity will support the Church’s mission for generations.