Prosecutor's office opens a criminal case against Pochaiv Monastery

Pochaiv Monastery. Photo: UOC

The Kremenets district prosecutor's office opened criminal proceedings on the fact of mismanagement of land (part 1 of article 254 of the Criminal Code) by the Pochaiv Holy Spirit Monastery of the Ternopil diocese of the UOC. The relevant data appeared in the court register, reports Glavcom.

The case was based on an investigation by the SBU in the Ternopil region, which says that representatives of the monastery arbitrarily organized a sump with an area of more than 1,000 square meters on a land plot of the communal property.

It is also noted that the topsoil was partially removed from another site belonging to the monastery with the intended purpose "for auxiliary agriculture." Such actions, as suggested by law enforcement officers, could cause a decrease or loss of soil fertility.

The court satisfied the petition of the prosecutor's office and allowed to inspect the land plots with the participation of specialists, employees of the Department of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Ternopil Regional State Administration.

The sanction of Part 1 Art. 254 of the Criminal Code provides for a fine of up to UAH 51,000 or restriction of liberty for up to two years with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years.

As the UOJ reported, MP Nikita Poturaev fears that the agreement on the Pochaiv Lavra has absolutely no grounds for terminating it.

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