Gorevoy about the ban on the activities of the UOC through the court: Technically it is almost impossible

To ban the activities of the UOC through the courts is «technically almost impossible,» director of the NGO «Center for Religious Security» Dmitry Gorevoy said on the air of the informational morning «Suspіlne sprotiv». At the same time, in his opinion, this does not exclude the possibility of searches in the Transcarpathian churches of the UOC.

Dmitry Gorevoy said that the influence of the UOC on Transcarpathia is strong.

“Now it is perhaps the largest religious institution in terms of quantitative indicators, Greek Catholics are in second place in terms of numbers in Transcarpathia. In Transcarpathia, the influence of pro-Moscow churches is strong. For example, the second person in the UOC-MP, who is “looking” from Moscow, and forms all these pro-Moscow messages, narratives and policies, Metropolitan Anthony Pakanych is himself a native of Transcarpathia. Transcarpathian priests are one of the most powerful clans within the Moscow Patriarchate, as Russian religious observers wrote about,” said Dmitry Gorevoy.

He also said that the UOC in Transcarpathia may be one of the contenders for checks by the SBU. At the same time, he stated that at present it is technically impossible to ban the UOC on the territory of Ukraine in court.

“Our church does not have the status of a legal entity. But the status of a legal entity has each individual parish. The current legislation provides that the prohibition of a religious organization is provided exclusively in a judicial proceeding. That is, it is necessary to collect evidence, there is an exhaustive list of points. Technically, it is almost impossible, ”Gorevoy said.

According to him, the ban can be achieved if an addition is made to the legislation that religious organizations can be liquidated exclusively by law.