Leonid Kuchma, President of Ukraine, signed a decree “On Urgent Measures for Combating the Negative Consequences of Totalitarian Policies of the Former Soviet Union regarding Religion and Restoration of the Violated Rights of Churches and Religions Organizations.” This news was reported by the Department of Information and Public Relations of the presidential administration on 21 March 2002.
The decree was publicized by the head of presidential administration, Volodymyr Lytvyn, at a conference held in Kyiv, “Secular and Religious Systems of Education: Common Goals in Ukrainian Society.” According to the press department of the presidential administration, the decree is aimed at the restoration of justice, protection of the rights and interests of religious organizations, continuation of their moral and political rehabilitation, improvement of relationships based on religious and ideological tolerance, and creation of favorable conditions for affirming the principles of freedom of conscience and denominational equality. According to the decree, the government will form an inter-departmental commission by 1 May 2002 in order to prepare proposals concerning the restoration of the rights of churches and religious organizations, as well as to work out plans for further actions. Source: www.kuchma.gov.ua