Zagorodnyi was expelled from the Platform for Life for supporting the ban on the Russian Orthodox Church: a deputy

People’s deputy Yury Zahorodnyi was expelled from the Platform for Life and Peace parliamentary group after he voted for a draft law banning the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) in Ukraine. About this reported Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech, Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, on August 22.
Earlier it became known that 33 people’s deputies either did not support or abstained during the voting for this draft law. Among the former representatives of OPZZ, now called the Platform for Life and Peace, 17 out of 22 deputies voted against the ban.
On August 20, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a law banning the activities of religious organizations associated with Russia, including the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UPC MP). 265 deputies voted for this law.
The law stipulates that the communities of the UOC MP will have nine months to sever ties with the Russian Orthodox Church. Metropolitan Kliment, the head of the information and educational department of the UOC MP, stated that the UOC MP has no formal connection with the Moscow Patriarchate and will continue its activities as a true church.
On August 21, the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) Epiphany expressed readiness for a dialogue with Metropolitan Onufriy of the UOC MP and called on the believers of the UOC MP to reject Russian influence and join the OCU.
The law enters into force 30 days after its publication, and its implementation will have a significant impact on the religious situation in Ukraine.