Rada member proposes to legalise "esoteric services"

A member of the Verkhovna Rada committee on social policy and protection of veterans' rights, Serhiy Hrivko, proposed to legalise "esoteric services".

In an explanatory note to the bill, published on the website of the Rada, the MP wrote that "at present, society has formed the need to recognise esoteric services and esoteric education as an integral part of modern life".

Hrivko writes, "In the process of esoteric education, a person who has subjective knowledge and experience in a certain direction of esotericism (astrology, tarology, numerology, runology, extrasensory perception, witchcraft, healing, yoga and other areas of spiritual, energetic and physical practices) acts as a mentor and passes on his knowledge and experience to students who voluntarily expressed a desire to receive such knowledge and experience."

According to him, "We are not talking about 'sectarianism', but about the esoteric sphere, which is an activity of obtaining by a person the knowledge and information containing elements alternative to generally accepted scientific concepts."

Moreover, Hrivko is sure that "the esoteric sphere is being recognised at the scientific level".

In the note, he expertly states that "at the same time, in the current realities, practically everyone can call themselves a prophet or esotericist (without having the relevant knowledge and experience), deceive people and make money on it. The market of esoteric services is not regulated in any way, and therefore good esotericists are not protected".

This, the MP believes, "opens the field for fraudsters, and people who apply for such services can be deceived. In turn, the state does not receive revenues in the form of taxes and fees from the production of subjects of relevant business activities".

Therefore, Hrivko suggests that all those who want to study esotericism should be entered into the Register (for which one minimum wage should be paid) and allowed to conduct trainings, open courses and schools and share "knowledge".

As earlier reported, the Rada promised to make the draft law on banning the UOC "tougher".