The commercial court of the city of Kyiv rejected the claim of the UOC MP against the reserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" to invalidate the termination of the lease agreement.
This is stated in the court decision.
The court noted that the plaintiff was unable to prove or substantiate the statement that in case of eviction of the UOC MP from the Lavra, there is a threat of "destruction or damage to property, transfer to third parties for ownership/use, granting of permits to other religious organizations to hold religious services, violation of citizensʼ rights of Ukraine for freedom of religion and housing".
The decision enters into force from the moment of its signing and can be appealed within 30 days.
As of March 29, the reserve is terminating the lease agreement with the Moscow Patriarchate.
- Since November 2022, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has conducted a series of searches in churches and other institutions of the Moscow Patriarchate. During the searches, they seized pro-Russian literature, "Novorossiia" flags, millions of cash, literature denying the existence of the Ukrainian people, their language, as well as Ukraineʼs right to statehood, and, on the contrary, claiming that the state was created artificially.
- Before the New Year, the "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" reserve informed the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate that, as of January 1, it was not renewing the contract for its use with the Assumption Cathedral and the Tabernacle Church.
- On March 10, the National Reserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" sent a letter to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate about the termination of the lease agreement
- The state terminates the contract with the UOC MP on the use of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
- Priests are asked to leave the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine announced that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Ukraine must vacate all the premises it rents in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra by March 29. The UOC MP stated that these demands have no legal basis.