AUCCRO and VR defenders of "eternal values" discuss law on cannabis

Meeting of AUCCRO representatives and Verkhovna Rada deputies. Photo: irs.in.ua

On January 28, 2021, representatives of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (AUCCRO) and the parliamentary interfactional association “Values, Dignity, Family” created on the initiative of the “Servant of the People” deputy Sviatoslav Yurash discussed a number of legislative initiatives and agreed on further cooperation.

According to the Institute of Religious Freedom, the meeting was held under the co-chairmanship of the "hierarch" of the OCU Yevstratiy Zoria and the UGCC cleric Oleksa Petriv.

Sviatoslav Yurash, who earlier initiated the creation of an inter-factional parliamentary association with the aim of protecting "the eternal values of Ukrainian society", wrote on his Facebook page that "the largest association in the history of parliament <...> begins the tradition of monthly meetings between two councils – the Eternal and the elected".

“At the first monthly meeting, we discussed a whole range of legislative and government issues that have been troubling the holy fathers and the valuable Ukrainian dominant that they represent for several years,” he explained.

In particular, religious leaders and parliamentarians discussed draft Law No. 4553 (and alternative ones) to regulate the circulation of cannabis for medical purposes, scientific and technical activities and industry.

The meeting participants also raised the issue of the obligations undertaken by the government of Ukraine within the framework of the international project "Biarritz Partnership" aimed at achieving the so-called gender equality and discussed initiatives to ratify the Istanbul Convention.

The decisions made during the meeting of the "Eternal and elected councils" will soon be presented, said the people's deputy.

Earlier the Ministry of Health of Ukraine officially introduced the "unknown gender" in the forms of referrals for laboratory testing for COVID-19.

As reported, the AUCCRO voiced its position on vaccination against coronavirus.

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