The US State Department published a report noting the pressure and threats from nationalists and representatives of the schismatic UOC-KP against the priests of the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate.
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The report on international religious freedom, prepared by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor at the US State Department, indicates that nationalists are systematically threatening the clergy of the UOC-MP, while the Ukrainian police are completely inactive.
The report also notes attempts by the Verkhovna Rada to pass a law discriminating against the UOC-MP.
“According to the draft, all existing and newly created communities of the UOC-MP will have to sign an agreement with the government, pledging to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, as well as respect the rights of other religious organizations operating in the country.. The bill will not allow the UOC-MP to appoint bishops or promote clergy to senior positions without prior approval from the central government,” the document says.
In addition, numerous cases of seizure of churches of the UOC-MP by schismatics and the forcible transfer of communities under the jurisdiction of the UOC-KP are indicated. The report also notes pressure from nationalists on philanthropists who donate funds to the Moscow Patriarchate.
“In several areas, the UOC-KP continued to endorse support from radical groups, including the Right Sector political movement in its ongoing efforts to take over UOC-MP churches... Some of the incidents occurred after local authorities transferred communities from the UOC-MP to the UOC-KP against the will of the parishioners,” the report says.