On June 14, 2023, the Kyiv Metropolis of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church filed an appeal against the decision of the Kyiv District Administrative Court in the case of renaming (religious expertise) of the UOC, the Legal Department of the UOC reports.

Since 2019, the case has been heard by the District Administrative Court of Kyiv. By a court ruling dated April 22, 2019, the Metropolia’s petition was granted to secure an administrative claim, which prohibits making changes to the register and renaming religious organizations of the UOC. However, since December 2022, the procedure for the liquidation of the District Administrative Court of Kyiv began, the case was transferred to the Kiev District Administrative Court.

Since the procedure for the acceptance and transfer of court cases from the liquidation commission of the District Administrative Court of Kyiv has not yet been completed, the Legal Department of the UOC considers it unlawful that on May 15, the Kiev District Administrative Court makes a decision on this case “on a complete refusal to satisfy the administrative claim of the Kiev Metropolis of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.”

The Legal Department explains that the appeal is based on the court’s misapplication of substantive law and violation of procedural law. It notes that the charter of the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC does not contain a single provision that its leading center of administration is located outside of Ukraine. The appeal also indicated a number of violations of the law during the religious examination.