On December 9, representatives of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations met with the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. The meeting was held at the request of the speaker of the parliament to discuss the law "On Military Chaplaincy".
This is reported by the press service of the Verkhovna Rada office.
Patriarch Sviatoslav of the UGCC, head of the Department of External Relations of the UGCC in Ukraine Oleksa Petriv, Archbishop Yevstratiy (Zoria) of Nizhyn and Chernihiv of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and representative of the Forum "Transformation of Ukraine" Mykhailo Khariy attended the working meeting.
"We have finally adopted the law "On Military Chaplaincy". However, the work does not end there. Further, we will improve the proposed concept, monitor the implementation of the law, and make the necessary adjustments. After all, what we do is really important for people," said Ruslan Stefanchuk.
According to him, the concept, which has already become the law of Ukraine, is very different from all previous ones.
"Here we can really talk about the time-tested NATO approach to the legislative regulation of pastoral care in the army. I am glad that we have taken this step," the head of the Ukrainian Parliament stressed.
Religious figures thanked Ruslan Stefanchuk for the adoption of the law.
"This law opens a new page in relations between churches and the state. This is a high-profile precedent, where legislators and the religious environment develop state-church relations as such," the head of the UGCC said.
According to him, this law opens up new opportunities and mechanisms for developing other similar legislative acts. For example, in medical, prison, and other areas of chaplaincy. It also creates the possibility of institutionalized service with mutual responsibility. The state, churches, and religious organizations assume responsibility for this type of service.
In addition, the meeting participants discussed other draft laws and made their proposals to them. Religious figures assured the head of the Ukrainian parliament that they are ready for various types of cooperation with the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. In particular, when it comes to analytical support or participation in the development of certain draft laws, as was the case with the law "On Military Chaplaincy".
The meeting participants identified areas for further cooperation. In particular, Ruslan Stefanchuk expressed his intention to appeal to various states and parliaments of the world with a request to recognize the Holodomor as a genocide of the Ukrainian people. Religious figures assured of their readiness to support the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada and assist in this.