Creation of Pantheon does not mean that graves of famous Ukrainians will automatically be relocated - MP Kravchuk

The creation of the Ukrainian National Pantheon to honor the most distinguished representatives of the Ukrainian nation does not mean that the graves of famous Ukrainians will automatically be relocated. Yevheniia Kravchuk, the deputy chair of the Servant of the People faction in the Verkhovna Rada and the deputy chair of the parliamentary committee on humanitarian and information policy, announced this on Facebook, according to the Ukrainian News agency.

“The Pantheon does NOT mean the automatic relocation of the graves of famous Ukrainians. An honorary reburial is possible only if the existing grave is in critical condition or requires relocation. For example, Taras Shevchenko’s grave on Chernecha Mountain in Kaniv is a separate national memorial site, so the question of his reburial in the Pantheon does not arise,” she said.

Kravchuk also emphasized that the bill stipulates that decisions regarding the commemoration of specific individuals will not be made unilaterally; instead, an advisory body comprising representatives from the fields of history, culture, national memory, and the general public will be established for this purpose.

According to her, after selection by the commission, the list of prominent figures to be honored in the Pantheon will be submitted as a separate bill, which must be approved by the Verkhovna Rada and signed by the President; all subsequent changes to this list must also be voted on by parliament.

In addition, she noted that reburials may take place no earlier than 20 years after a person’s death; this approach is necessary to ensure that decisions are well-considered and that the assessment of historical contributions is not influenced by emotions or political circumstances.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is proposing that the Verkhovna Rada establish a Ukrainian National Pantheon in Kyiv to honor the most outstanding representatives of the Ukrainian nation, including, in particular, the leadership of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).