Tkachenko: The issue of the Lower Lavra will be resolved in early February

Olexander Tkachenko. Photo: Facebook screenshot espreso.tv

On January 7, 2023, Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko told espreso.tv that the Interdepartmental Commission would make a decision on the Lower Lavra in early February.

According to him, the Interdepartmental Commission, on the basis of whose resolution the UOC lost control over the Upper Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, is studying the situation in the Lower Lavra.

“The interdepartmental commission will give answers to these questions, how correctly, given the law, such property was used. It is supposed to act for two months and terminate its work in early February, if I’m not mistaken. The commission will work in the Lower Lavra as well,” the minister said.

In addition, according to the official, an ad hoc commission of the Ministry of Culture will study the issue of the use of other state-owned facilities by religious organizations.

“I think that our ministerial commission will also consider other objects in the use of religious organizations. Also the Pochaiv Lavra, perhaps,” Tkachenko added.

As he explained, the free use of such facilities is temporary.

“According to the legislation, renting (of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra – Ed.) is now not allowed, its use was free. If we are talking about free use, it is provided temporarily. Regarding further decisions, we need the conclusions of the interdepartmental commission, which was set up in order to study the nature and procedure for the use of state-owned objects by religious organizations. Afterwards, we would be able to make some consolidated, consistent decisions,” Tkachenko stressed.

As previously reported by the UOJ, the VR MP said that the UOC would be expelled from all over the Lavra.

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