Court orders UOC monastery in Kremenets to return property to state reserve

On July 24, the Commercial Court of Ternopil Region partially satisfied the claim of the Kremenets-Pochaiv State Historical and Architectural Reserve against the Epiphany Convent of the Ternopil Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The court ordered the monastery to return the property. This was reported on the website of the Ministry of Culture.

At the same time, the court rejected the monastery’s counterclaim, in which its representatives requested that the agreement under which the monastery received the property for use be declared invalid.

The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine (now the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications) also took part in the case as a third party on the side of the state reserve and supported its position in court.

It should also be recalled that the clergy of the St. Nicholas Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the city of Kremenets (Ternopil region), which was expropriated by the state and transferred under the control of the OCU, are accused of stealing icons. According to local media reports, a court hearing in connection with this case is scheduled to be held in Ternopil in the near future.