Believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church appealed to Volodymyr Zelensky with a request to cancel the name change of the UOC-MP. This was announced at a press conference in Ukrainian news by the Chairman of the Synodal Information and Educational Department of the UOC, Metropolitan Klyment (Vecherya).
Source: TSN
"Believers have written more than a million letters of appeal to the president of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada and the Cabinet of Ministers demanding to cancel unconstitutional law No. 2662 (draft 5309) on the forced change of the name of the UOC," he said.
According to Metropolitan Klyment, the faithful and the Church have not yet received a clear public response.
"The problem of violation of the rights and Constitution of Ukraine remains. Believers say that they will come to the president's Office to convey these appeals personally," he added.
As reported, on December 20, 2018, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has adopted draft law No.5309, which proposes amendments to the relevant law "on freedom of conscience and religious organizations". The draft law stipulates that a religious organization whose center is located in the aggressor country must indicate the full statutory name of its religious center in its name. On December 22, 2018, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko signed the relevant law.
This law provoked discontent on the part of the Russian Orthodox Church, the UOC-MP and some pro-Russian politicians.