The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP) is not going to change its name as the recently adopted bill would suggest, its law department head Oleksandr Bakhov has said on the church's website.
"The text of bill No 5309, which has already become law, does not mention the Ukrainian Orthodox Church or any specific guidelines what should be called how. This will be decided by a relevant government agency once the law takes effect. To put it mildly, I am surprised by statements made by some politicians and mass media that are now distorting the official name of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church [of the Moscow Patriarchate], saying either that it no longer exists or that it has become the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine. This is not so," he said.
He added that the UOC MP understands that the law is directed against it and plans to use all legal means for protection.
The UOC MP is initiating an appeal to the Constitutional Court to challenge the bill.
According to the charter of the UOC MP, it is affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church and is guided by its decisions since 1990.