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24.09.2007, [11:38] // Church-state relations // RISU.ORG.UA

Kyiv - On 18 September 2007, at the Secretariat of the Higher Episcopate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), Patriarch Lubomyr (Husar), head of the UGCC, met with Heorhii Popov, executive director of the National Department on Issues of Nationalities and Religion to discuss a range of issues on relations between church and state, in particular, the issue of restitution of church property, co-existence of religious communities of different denominations in towns and villages with religious conflict, improvement of current legislation which regulates religious life in the state, etc.

According to ugcc.org.ua, in his opening words, Heorhii Popov praised the authority of the UGCC in the social life of Ukraine and reassured that the National Committee will continue to adhere to Ukraine’s Constitution, applicable legislation and will not allow for the use of the so-called “telephone rule” (intervention from higher authorities) when fulfilling obligations delegated by the state government.

In response, Patriarch Lubomyr expressed his hope that the equal treatment of all denominations, without any preferences of one particular confession, will continue to be the prerequisite in relations between church and state. Patriarch Lubomyr spoke of continued cooperation between the two institutions in their ministry to Ukrainian society.