The Union of Orthodox Lawyers emphasizes that over the past four years of modern history, the Verkhovna Rada and the President of Ukraine have repeatedly violated the Constitution, and the authorities are carrying out the process of imposing the leading religion on Ukrainians, the UOL Telegram channel writes.

So, in particular, in the opinion of lawyers, the laws adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of December 20, 2018, No. 2662-VIII (regarding the name of religious organizations) and of January 17, 2019, No. 2673-VIII (regarding the subordination of religious organizations and the procedure for state registration religious organizations with the status of a legal entity).

Also very indicative is the assessment by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine in the Resolution of 03/07/2019 No. eighth / 2019 (case No. 1-416 / 2018 (6718/18) of the Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine dated April 19, 2018 No. 2410-VIII “On supporting the appeal of the President of Ukraine to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on Granting Tomos of Autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine “, which states that this Resolution is not a legal act of parliament, does not give rise to any legal consequences and, as an act of parliament, contradicts the secular essence of the Ukrainian state, which makes it seem extremely questionable and inappropriate to the legislation.

On November 3, 2018, the President of Ukraine and the Ecumenical Patriarch signed an Agreement on cooperation and interaction between Ukraine and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, the purpose of which is to promote national consolidation based on the recognition of the unique and self-sufficient Ukrainian spirituality of the Orthodox tradition and the implementation of the right to constitution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church through providing the appropriate Tomos, – reminds the UOL.

“In the wake of revolutionary sentiments, state bodies have begun and are actively carrying out the process of imposing a leading religion on Ukrainians and are establishing ways to exercise their right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion by introducing certain mechanisms, which, in the language of judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, contradicts the secular essence of the Ukrainian state.

In addition, it is possible to question and conclude that the appeal of the President of Ukraine to grant the Tomos on autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine is illegitimate, since, firstly, it was made on the basis of an unconstitutional act of parliament and contrary to Art. 35 of the Constitution of Ukraine, and secondly, in the absence of authority for such an appeal from the Ukrainian people,” the UOL notes.