Ukrainian culture minister's statement on Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra property manipulative - Ukrainian Orthodox Church
MOSCOW. June 7 (Interfax) - Archpriest Nikita Chekman, the lawyer for the Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra, has criticized Ukrainian Culture Minister Alexander Tkachenko for saying that the Lavra's monks must leave the premises within three days.
"Tkachenko's statement is open manipulation of public opinion," Chekman said on Telegram.
"The minister writes that the reserve will appeal to a court. I am sorry, but what lawsuit did the reserve file several months ago? The Commercial Court of Kiev is currently processing the reserve's claim," he said.
A preparatory hearing took place on Tuesday and the proceeding was delayed for another month, as the reserve has not presented the court with evidence of violations by the monastery, and the Culture Ministry has not presented such evidence to the monastery despite repeated requests, Chekman said.
"So, they have found flaws but never say what proof they have, alleging that such information is for official use only. This is why Tkachenko's statement is manipulative. We have to understand that and draw conclusions," he said.
Tkachenko said on Tuesday that the Ukrainian authorities had demanded that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church stop using the facilities of the Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra immediately, and that the administration and monks of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church leave the monastery within three days.
He also said that the Culture Ministry's commission for transferring Lavra property finalized its work on Monday and confirmed the transfer of the monastery's facilities to the Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra reserve.
The Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra national reserve demanded earlier that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church vacate the monastery before March 29. The demand was based on alleged violations committed by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church while using state property. The Church challenged the decision in court. The proceeding has just begun, and there are currently no legal grounds to evict the monks.