Ukraine's president instructs Cabinet of Ministers to take steps to ensure religious freedom in military

President Viktor Yanukovych instructed the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to take measures to strengthen military-patriotic and spiritual education of soldiers and to ensure their constitutional right to religious freedom, reads directive of Ukraine's president of  February 7, 2011, for Ukraine's Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, reports the Institute of Religious Freedom.

The mentioned document was discussed at a session of the Council on Pastoral Care of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, which was held on February 16 in the Officers' House.

"To further create in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations – formed according to the Ukrainian law – conditions necessary for soldiers to exercise their right to the freedom of religion, including participation in divine services and religious rites, and of ensure the spiritual care for soldiers and to put forward appropriate proposals according to established procedure," reads the document.  

The government is to submit to the president specific proposals by May 2011.

One should note that, in his turn, Mykola Azarov defined the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine to be the main executor of the presidential directive. The list of the executors also includes the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Infrastructure, State Border Service, Security Service of Ukraine and other agencies.

As the Institute of Religious Freedom reported earlier, in 2010, the Council on Pastoral Care in the Armed Forces of the Ministry of Defense developed a draft Concept of Pastoral Care in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.