Ministry of Culture cares about UOC property rather than freedom of conscience, – Chairman of the Law Department

Under the pretext of talks about protection of the right to freedom of religion civil servants are searching for the avenues to misappropriate the property of religious communities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, told Alexander Bakhov, Chairman of the UOC Law Department, writes the UOC Information and Education Department.

“They appear to have vested interest in the property of religious communities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church rather than freedom of religion. This footage of TSN program and recent statements of state agents revealed what they are actually concerned about,” noted in his comments the Chairman of the Law Department.

The priest underscored it is not the UOC that is trying to take over the property of Ukrainian citizens but those who are eager to implement anti-church raiding laws, such as bill #4128.

“We are happy with the statutes our religious organizations act under currently. Re-registration has been launched not because the UOC wants “to take over” its parishes’ property as it is shown in the TSN plot but because the state obliged all religious organizations to introduce amendments into their statutory documents according to the Tax Code,” said the Archpriest. “Initiators of various legislative initiatives like draft law #4128 announced they strive to defend freedom of religion, yet it is clear now they care only about the property of religious communities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church rather than believers’ rights.”

The Chairman of the Synodal Law Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church stressed that claims of the Ministry of Culture with regard to changes introduced by the UOC organizations into their statutes being unlawful are nothing else as manipulations. “Corrections to the statutory documents our organizations make in the re-registration process are directed only at defending their parishioners’ rights and bringing statues in compliance with the requirements of the Tax Code,” he said.

On April 21, at the working meeting of heads of structural divisions on religious matters of Regional and Kiev City State Administrations, held at the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, Deputy Chief of Staff of the President of Ukraine Rostislav Pavlenko informed that the Administration receives random signals on registration be regional state administrations of statutes which provisions run counter to the norms of the current legislation of Ukraine. Such situation contradicts the regulations,” he stated.

“Scandalous MP Viktor Zelensky who had been also invited to the meeting told again to the attendees about his anti-church legislative initiatives. On the following day 1+1 channel, which has been churning out video footage against the UOC with the assistance of Andrey Yurash, Director of Department for Religion and Nationalities, framed up another info-provocation,” explained the UOC.