Court orders Monument Protection Society to vacate Upper Lavra Building 19

Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Photo: Ukrinform

The Supreme Court of Ukraine confirmed the decision of the Northern Appellate Commercial Court of October 9, 2024, which ordered UОOPIK to vacate Building 19 of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. A relevant lawsuit was filed by the Ministry of Culture, according to the Ministry of Culture's press service.

The history of the use of this building dates back to 1996, when building 19 was transferred to UОOPIK for the free use of the National Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of Ukraine. However, in April 2023, the Ukrainian government, following a proposal from the Ministry of Culture, adopted Resolution No. 359, which revised the lease conditions for the premises of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and canceled the previous decision on the transfer of building 19 to the public organization.

The Ministry of Culture also emphasized that UОOPIK should have renegotiated the lease agreement in 2014 in accordance with the transitional provisions of the Civil Code of Ukraine, but the organization did not do so, continuing to use the building based on a contract that is now considered invalid.

Additionally, in 2022, the Ministry of Culture's departmental commission found several organizations that, according to the Reserve, had been granted the right to free use of premises in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra without justification, and UОOPIK was among them.

As reported by the UOJ, a court session in Kyiv took place regarding the eviction of monks from the Lavra.

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