Law on renaming churches becomes effective

Bill No. 5309 on the renaming the religious organizations whose center is in the aggressor state has been officially passed. According to the norms of the adopted document, the law enters into force from the moment of its publication in the official parliamentary edition Holos Ukrayiny. The text of the law was published on December 26, 2018.

From now on, the state body for religious affairs - the Department of Religions and Nationalities – must conduct a religious expert examination that determines which religious organizations are subject to this provision. The results of the examination will be published in the official publication Uriadovy Kuryer. Communities have 9 months to change their name and submit relevant documents to public authorities. Otherwise, the statute of the respective religious organization will cease to be in force in the part which defines its full official name.