Currently, 130 MPs of the Servant of the People party support the ban on the UOC-MP.
This was reported to LB.ua by MP Yuliya Klymenko (Voice).
‘The rest, unfortunately, either due to concessions, ‘buns’, or for ideological reasons, refuse to sign the bill, as well as to put it on the agenda,’ the MP said and added that there are enough votes to support the bill.
However, there is a question of putting it on the agenda, and since the Servants are blocking it, they cannot consider the document. Klymenko is confident that as soon as the draft law is put on the agenda, at least 250 MPs will vote for it.
‘Unfortunately, many MPs depend in some way either on the leadership of the Servants of the People party or.... some other motivation, and these are not ideological differences, they are solely some interests of individuals that they promote,’ the MP said.
According to her, there is still an anti-Ukrainian core in the parliament, i.e. groups that replaced the banned OPFL, as well as some of the servants who offer MPs various services to shoot down this law and not vote.
Opinion polls show that at least 76-80% (of Ukrainian citizens - ed.) are in favour of the Russian church disappearing in Ukraine,’ Klymenko said and explained that this church can remain in Ukraine, but must break any ties with Russia.
‘The law turned out to be quite democratic, last week amendments were made to it, which provide for absolutely democratic procedures, that is, there will be no forced closure. These include judicial procedures, scientific examinations, collegial decisions, and almost all the wishes of various Ukrainian churches, from Protestants to the OCU, have been included in this draft law so that it really works,’ the MP said.
The draft law also provides that all Ukrainian churches will have the right to lease municipal and state property at a minimum cost.
‘Let me remind you that now only the Russian church, the Russian Orthodox Church, rents at a minimum cost. All the others, from Protestants to the OCU, pay commercial rent for their churches and their temples, which is absolutely unacceptable in the tenth year of the war, when we are fighting Russia on all fronts,’ Klymenko said.
She added that Ukraine has sanctioned Russian companies and Russian citizens, but not ‘Russian church business’.
According to the MP, if the bill is failed, it will be sent for a second reading and reconsideration. When asked by the LB.ua correspondent when it would be submitted for consideration, Yuliya Klymenko said that it was unrealistic for now, as the mono-majority, i.e. the Servants, is blocking it.
‘It is impossible to put it on the agenda without their vote, so other factions have decided to block the rostrum and block the activities of the conciliation board until this law is on the agenda and considered,’ she said and clarified that she was referring to the Voice, European Solidarity, Dovira, For the Future groups, and almost all Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc MPs - almost all factions except for two groups of the former OPFL.