Zelenskyy puts into effect NSDC decision on restrictive measures against UOC

By his decree, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy put into effect the decision of the National Security and Defense Council "On Certain Aspects of the Activities of Religious Organizations in Ukraine and the Application of Personal Special Economic and Other Restrictive Measures (Sanctions)". The Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 820/2022 of December 1 was published on the website of the Head of State.

According to the decision of the National Security and Defense Council, published in the decree, the Cabinet of Ministers was instructed to submit a bill on the impossibility of the activities in Ukraine of religious organizations affiliated with centers of influence in the Russian Federation for consideration by the Verkhovna Rada within two months. The bill must comply with the norms of international law in the field of freedom of conscience and Ukraine's obligations in view of joining the European Union.

The government was also instructed to immediately resolve the issue of assigning the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience to the central executive bodies, whose activities are directed and coordinated directly by the Cabinet of Ministers. According to the decree of the head of state, the government must also resolve the issues of functional subordination to the State Service for Ethnopolitics of the structural divisions of local state administrations, whose powers include the implementation of the right to freedom of conscience and religion, the activities of religious organizations.

In addition, the Cabinet of Ministers needs to ensure, within two months, verification of the existence of legal grounds and compliance with the conditions for the use of property by religious organizations located on the territory of the National Kiev-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Reserve.

The National Security and Defense Council also instructed the State Service for Ethnopolitics to conduct a religious expert examination of the Statute on the management of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church within two months for the existence of a church-canonical relation with the Moscow Patriarchate, and, if necessary, apply the measures provided for by law.

In addition, the National Security and Defense Council supported the proposals made by the SBU on the application of personal special economic and other restrictive measures and applied sanctions against individuals “according to the annex”, which has not yet been published.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Zelenskyy announced a bill to ban confessions associated with the Russian Federation.