Pochaiv City Council withdraws appeal in the Lavra case

Pochaiv Holy Spirit Monastery-Skit. Photo: pochaev.in.ua

Amid the ongoing legal battle over ownership rights to the Pochaiv Lavra, the Pochaiv City Council unexpectedly withdrew its previously filed appeal, which was submitted jointly with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, reports Golos.

Previously, the city council and the Church challenged a court decision that returned ownership of the Holy Spirit Monastery complex of the Pochaiv Holy Assumption Lavra to the state.

In an official statement, the Pochaiv City Council said:

“In the case regarding the cancellation of ownership rights to the Holy Spirit Monastery complex, the Pochaiv City Council filed an appeal because it does not consider itself an appropriate respondent in this matter. This is due to a previous decision by the Commercial Court of Ternopil Oblast on 14.08.2024, which abrogated the 2004 state registration of ownership of properties that never belonged to the Pochaiv City Council. However, considering the media coverage and to avoid manipulation and distortion, the city council submitted a statement to the Western Commercial Court of Appeal on 21.10.2024 to withdraw the appeal.”

As reported by the UOJ, the head of the Ternopil Regional Military Administration, Vyacheslav Negoda, stated that Mayor Vasily Boyko, who personally signed the appeal, was summoned to the administration to discuss the situation.

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