UGCC to receive a plot of over two hectares in the center of Lviv

St. George's Cathedral in Lviv. Photo: tvoemisto

The State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine is prepared to transfer a land plot of over two hectares, adjacent to St. George's Cathedral, often referred to as the "Metropolitan Gardens," to the UGCC. According to the tvoemisto website, a working meeting on December 4 brought together Maksym Kozytskyi, head of the Lviv Reginal Military Administration, and Volodymyr Trofymenko, deputy head of the State Service for Special Communications.

It is noted that the State Service for Special Communications has owned this land plot, located in the center of Lviv near St. George's Cathedral, since the mid-20th century. At one time, special equipment was installed on the site, most of which was dismantled at UNESCO's request.

“Recognizing the significance of this land plot for Lviv’s cultural heritage, the State Service for Special Communications is ready to transfer the plot to the Curia of the Lviv Archeparchy of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, fully adhering to the procedures established by law,” the statement reads.

According to local media, both institutions are “interested in resolving the matter of the land plot’s transfer to the Curia of the Lviv Archeparchy of the UGCC in a lawful manner as soon as possible.”

As a result, the participants of the meeting are drafting a settlement agreement for the court case over the land plot, which is currently being considered by the Commercial Court of the Lviv Region.

The legal proceedings over this land plot have been ongoing since 2020. After the city council allocated the land to the Greek Catholics, the State Service for Special Communications, which had owned it, challenged the decision in court.

As previously reported, Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said that the state is obligated to "return" this land plot to the UGCC.

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