PACE adopts resolution criticizing the Russian Orthodox Church

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has adopted a resolution criticizing the Russian Orthodox Church. The document, which was adopted in the organization, initially concerned propaganda and freedom of information, but later, at the suggestion of the Ukrainian delegation, the resolution was supplemented with criticism of the Russian Orthodox Church and a call — to recognize the Church as a tool of influence and propaganda of the Russian Federation. This was stated by a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the PACE Eugenia Kravchuk, reports UNN.

Kravchuk explained that the member States of the Council of Europe must protect themselves from all forms of propaganda, including propaganda of war, incitement to genocide and other international crimes, hatred, terrorism and discrimination. They must also be able to counteract and neutralize propaganda that contradicts the fundamental values of the European Convention on Human Rights.

In this context, among other things, the Ukrainian delegation managed to strengthen the text of the document with its edits. In particular, Kiev called for recognizing that the Russian Orthodox Church is used by the Kremlin regime as an instrument of Russian influence and propaganda.

Earlier, a member of the European Parliament from the Europe of Sovereign Nations group, Petro Volgin, said that the law “On banning the UOC” in Ukraine did not comply with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The official sent a corresponding request to the European Commission demanding that it clarify Brussels’ position on Kiev’s actions.