Head of UOC Legal Department: deputies of Ternopil regional council press the authorities to break the law

The requirement of the Ternopil regional council of deputies to confiscate from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church the Holy Dormition Pochayiv Lavra Monastery and make it the reserve indicates that they press the authorities to break the law. The Lavra is an integral property complex, which is in legitimate use of the Monastery of the UOC, said the head of the Legal Department of the UOC Archpriest Alexander Bakhov to the UOJ.

"I do not think that the deputies are guided by good intentions to save the famous landmark, because there is no need in it. They would better remember in what neglected state the Pochayiv Lavra was transferred to the UOC," said the lawyer.

According to Bakhov, the statement that the UOC, using Lavra, violates the rights of other churches sounds rather strange. "In this regard I have another question: schismatics, using Sophia, violate the rights of other Churches, don’t they? "Take from one, give to others" – don’t you think that we have already gone through it?" he asked rhetorically.

The cleric stressed that in its content this decision does not produce any legal consequences, and the requirements to deprive the UOC of the title right to the Lavra are unreasonable and unfounded. "To be honest, I would even consider this decision null and void. Just someone really wants to incite religious hatred in the Ternopil region", summed up the head of the Legal Department of the UOC.

We recall that the Ternopil regional council proposed to confiscate the Pochayiv Lavra from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and turn the shrine into Kremenets- Pochayiv State Historical-Architectural Reserve in order to "restore the constitutional rights of citizens to freedom of personal philosophy and religion in the temple complex of the UOC (Moscow Patriarchate) in Pochayiv ". All 54 deputies of the regional council voted for such a decision on May 12.

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