Metropolitan Volodymyr Asks Prime Minister to Restore Utility Tariff Benefits For Religious Organizations

In his address to Ukraine’s prime minister, the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) stressed that religious organizations are a priori non-profit, non-commercial organizations whose activities are carried out solely at the expense of the voluntary donations of their faithful. Therefore, by definition, they cannot be equalized with subjects of business activity including utility tariffs.

“In our opinion, the decision of the current Government of Ukraine to oblige religious organizations to pay for utilities according to the same tariffs as those envisaged for subjects of business activity is not only unnatural but also counterproductive as it will lead to the dramatic deterioration of the financial condition of religious organizations and, therefore, to the closing of numerous charitable programs conducted by them. In view of the above, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church expresses its concern over this unpleasant fact and hopes that the situation will be corrected in the nearest future,” reads the address published by the website of UOC-MP.