People’s deputy from Samopomich Pavel Bakunets said that the decision of the National Security and Defense Council regarding the clergy of the UOC is correct, but only it is too little. He wrote about this in a blog on Zaxid.net.

“Finally, the longstanding requests of the religious community, conscious Ukrainians and people’s deputies were heard – first, the SBU searches in the churches and monasteries of the UOC-MP, now – sanctions. Better late than never. But this should be only the beginning,” the deputy noted.

Bakunets proposes the following “three important steps”:

First, “prohibit the activities of the UOC-MP and organizations affiliated with it. This is not a matter of faith or religion – this is national security. The relevant bills have long been registered in the Verkhovna Rada, they need to be given the green light as soon as possible. Actors of the Russian Church in Ukraine must be checked by the SBU, collaborators must be held accountable under the laws of Ukraine.”

Secondly, “parishes must move into jurisdictions. Orthodox Church of Ukraine, and people from the UOC-MP who pass the SBU check and decide to join the OCU should receive restrictions on their rights to influence the activities of the church, in particular, a ban on the right to be elected to the governing bodies of the church. Church property – from the pearls of Ukrainian architecture, like the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, up to technical premises, should be transferred to the state for further decision on their status and ownership.”

Thirdly, “prohibit participation in politics, state administration and local self-government for people from pro-Russian parties that are on the NSDC sanctions list. Something like lustration 2.0, only much more thorough. Again, after these people pass the SBU check and the collaborators will be punished.”