Odessa diocese calls nonsense SBU investigation of funding the cathedral

On June 7, the Statement about the attacks of the people's deputy Vitaly Kupriy was published on the official website of the Odessa diocese of the UOC. The MP demanded that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) instituted a criminal case against the City Council of Odessa under the article on the seizure of state power because of the fact that every year funds are allocated for the maintenance of the Savior Transfiguration Cathedral in Odessa.

"Absolutely unacceptable is the situation when such a structure as the SBU takes seriously the absurd or deliberately provocative request of the people's deputy that has no relation to Odessa, relating in an incomprehensible way the care of Odessa citizens about the splendor of the pearl of their city – the Savior Transfiguration Cathedral – to norms of Art. 110 of the CCU," says the statement of the Odessa diocese.
There is also an explanation that money from the budget has never been paid directly to the diocese, "Budget funds for the maintenance of the cathedral has been allocated since 2010, and deputies representing the Odessa community, according to the rules of the deputy corps, have invariably voted for this article of the city budget, in full compliance with the Law on Local Self-Government. It should be noted that all the financial operations for the payment of communal services and the maintenance of the cathedral are carried out by the State Treasury of Ukraine, which, in turn, transfers funds directly to service companies, and not to the community of the Saviour Transfiguration Cathedral."

Odessa Savior’s Transfiguration Cathedral is an architectural monument of local significance and a visiting card of the city.

"We express deep hope that attempts of destructive forces to shake peace and an interreligious situation in the state will not have support, and actions directed against millions of believing Ukrainians will be resolutely stopped, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution," concludes the Statement of the diocese.