Ukrainian Parliament to consider a bill on property tax exemption for churches

The Parliament included to the agenda Bill N2226 on Amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine concerning property tax exemption for religious organizations.

263 MPs of Ukraine voted for this on March 18, 2015, according to the Institute of Religious Freedom.

The vast majority of parliamentary factions supported this initiative, proposed by MPs Paul Unguryanand Nina Yuzhaninafrominterfactional deputy association "For spirituality, morality and health of Ukraine."

Bill N2226 is designed to provide legislative relief for religious organizations from recently introduced property taxes. A prerequisite for this are conflicting decisions of local authorities, who often refused or provide tax breaks to religious organizations or selectively and in a discriminatory mannerexempted only certain religious communities or denominations.

At the meeting of March 4, the Taxation and Customs Policy Committee voted for adoption of the initiative as a basis and on the whole in revised version, which provides tax exemption for slightly shortened list of church property.

According to the Ukrainian Council of Churches today the legislative body has determined more stringent taxation of real property for religious organizations than for small and medium businesses, as well as for owners of commercial buildings. “We believe this legislative approach to be unfair and unfounded,” notes the AUCCROin a letter to parliament.

Heads of Churches and religious organizations urged MPs not to burden with an additional property tax the religious communities that exist and maintain church property entirely on donations.