Zelenskyy submitted a bill on the Ukrainian National Pantheon to the Rada

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky submitted to the Verkhovna Rada draft law No. 15360 on the creation of the Ukrainian National Pantheon – a memorial complex to honor outstanding figures who made a significant contribution to the formation and protection of Ukrainian statehood.

The document defines the list of persons whose memory can be honored in the Pantheon. In particular, it concerns rulers and heads of state of various historical eras – from Rus’ and the Rus’ kingdom to the Ukrainian People’s Republic, the Western Ukrainian People’s Republic, Carpathian Ukraine and modern independent Ukraine.

Presidents of Ukraine will also have the right to be honored, except for those who were removed from office by impeachment. Separately, the Pantheon may include commanders-in-chief of historical Ukrainian military formations, in particular the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, as well as commanders-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the War of Independence.

The bill provides for the possibility of honoring figures of science, culture, art, sports, religion and civil society who have made a historically significant contribution to Ukraine. Separate mention is made of Nobel Prize laureates in science and literature related to Ukraine.

At the same time, the document sets clear restrictions: persons convicted of crimes against national security, peace or international law, as well as those who fall under the laws on decommunization, decolonization and the prohibition of Russian imperial or Nazi propaganda, cannot be honored in the Pantheon.

As a separate provision, the bill allows, in exceptional cases, reburial with immediate family members, if they are buried next to the person who is planned to be honored in the Pantheon. The bill must be considered by parliament.