President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a decision that will “strengthen spiritual independence” from Moscow. The statement came as the Verkhovna Rada is preparing to review the draft law on banning the activity of religious organizations affiliated with Russia.
That’s according to Zelensky’s address to the nation.
According to the president, he held a “preparatory meeting” on a decision that would deprive Moscow of “the last opportunities to limit the freedom of Ukrainians.”
“And the decisions to achieve this must be one hundred percent effective – they must really work. We will ensure them,” the president emphasized, without elaborating.
It should be recalled that earlier, the Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy, Nikita Poturaev, said the ruling Servant of the People faction would have at least 150 votes for the draft law, which would ban the activities of religious organizations affiliated with Russia. In total, 240 MPs might support the bill.
At the July meeting of the Verkhovna Rada, lawmakers blocked the rostrum with the demand to continue the consideration of the bill against the UOC (MP). At the same time, further parliament sessions were cancelled. The next one, according to schedule, will be held in August.
Speaker, Ruslan Stefanchu, said the deputies had decided to concentrate on finalizing certain provisions of the bill so that it could be put to a vote as soon as possible.
