Scandal in Ternopil region: UGCC cleric refuses to leave someone else's house

A local resident of Ternopil Region has reported a protracted conflict with a priest of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) who has unauthorizedly moved into a private house and refuses to leave it. According to the homeowner, attempts to resolve the issue through law enforcement agencies and church leadership have not yet yielded results.

According to the publication «Ternopillyane», the incident occurred in the village of Lazarevka, Chortkovsky district. Local resident Oksana appealed to the public with a request for help in the situation with Father Vasyl Mohun. According to her statement, several years ago her grandmother allowed the priest to temporarily live in the house during the cold season without informing the owners. Since then, the man has effectively taken over the premises and has ignored the owners’ demands to move out.

The owner of the house claims that the clergyman is behaving inappropriately: damaging the property, consuming alcohol supplies and insulting the owners. «He turned off the Internet, turned off the cameras we installed, and there is no control over him, » the publication quoted the victim as saying. According to her, the kitchen, corridor and plumbing in the house were damaged. Despite periodic promises to leave the house, Father Vasily continues to secretly return to the house, hiding his car in the village.

The situation is complicated by the fact that appeals to official authorities have not had the desired effect. Oksana notes that she filed a complaint with the police, as well as appealed to the local dean and the vicar in Chortkov, but was completely ignored. Currently, the woman hopes that the public outcry will force the leadership of the UGCC to intervene in the conflict and influence the actions of the clergy.

We shall remind you that in Lviv a conflict broke out between the city authorities and the family of a PCU cleric over two illegally built restaurants. An official of the mayor’s office accused the clergyman of lobbying the interests of the family business, while the priest himself claims that he tried to find a compromise with the city, but his proposal was ignored. Authorities have already decided to demolish one of the establishments.