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Ammendments to the Law of Ukraine on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations to be promulgated soon

13.01.2011, 13:46
On 12 January, Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovych issued Decree 24 of 2011 by which he approved the Plan of measures to fulfill the responsibilities and obligations of Ukraine which follow from its membership in the Council of Europe, reports the Institute of Religious Freedom.

On January 12, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych issued Decree 24 of 2011 by which he approved a plan to fulfill the responsibilities and obligations Ukraine must meet as a member of the Council of Europe, reports the Institute of Religious Freedom.

The president instructed the reorganized Ministry of Culture of Ukraine and Ministry of Justice of Ukraine "to strengthen the legal principles of the freedom of thought and religion in Ukraine." The main aim of the legislative changes is to "stabilize democratic institutes and establish the supremacy of the law," says the decree.

For that purpose, the mentioned ministries are to submit to the government by February 1, 2011, two bills which are to be submitted to the consideration of the Supreme Council:

- New wording of the Law of Ukraine on the Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations (taking into account the comments of the Report of PACE);

- On restitution of religious buildings to religious organizations (according to Opinion Letter 190 (1995) of PACE and Subclause 13.18 of PACE's Resolution 1466 (2005)).

In addition, the Ministry of Justice has been instructed to ensure the follow-up in the Supreme Council of Bill 2450 on the Procedure of Organizing Peaceful Events according to Subclause 7.5.2 of Resolution 1755 (2010) of PACE.

Let us remind that the question of developing the new wording for the Law of Ukraine on the Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations has been reflected in presidential decrees for the fourth time now in the last five years. A similar instruction was included in a decree of 2006 by former President Viktor Yushchenko and in his decrees of 2009-2010 regarding annual programs to prepare Ukraine for NATO membership.

According to Instruction 1228 of 14.06.2010, the development of the new wording of the Law on Freedom of Conscience was envisaged only "after the adoption of the Concept of Church-State Relations in Ukraine."

Earlier, by Instruction 1002-р of 23.07.2008, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine was instructed to develop the new wording of the law and submit it to the consideration of the government only "by agreement of the final wording of the bill with the leading religious organizations of Ukraine."

As RISU reported earlier, in late 2010, the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations, representatives of 9 Christian Churches of Ukraine and participants of the roundtable on the chuerch-state dialogue addressed President Yanukovych with a call to refrain from making hasty alterations to the Law of Ukraine on the Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations in order to keep the existing balance in interdenominational relations and to ensure religious freedom.