Ministry of Culture denies accusations of delaying transfer of church in Kyiv: procedure continues

The Ministry of Culture denies the accusations of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets regarding the delay in the transfer of St. Nicholas Church in Kyiv to the religious community. The Ministry stated this in response to an information request LIGA.net.

"The Ministry of Culture does not recognize the accusations of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights... The Ministry of Culture does not recognize the accusations of the Commissioner for Human Rights, as all official appeals of the Commissioner were answered in an exhaustive manner in accordance with the established procedure," the response reads.

The ministry noted that by a decision of January 24, 2025, the Dnipro District Administrative Court declared illegal the inaction of the Ministry of Culture regarding the failure to comply with the presidential order of December 9, 2005, to transfer the Church of St. Nicholas to the religious community of the Parish of St. Nicholas of the Kyiv-Zhytomyr Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church of Kyiv.

This decision has entered into force and the Ministry of Culture is currently taking steps to transfer the building, with an area of 2,655.10 square meters, for free use by a religious organization. However, the ministry did not specify what actions are being taken.

"The Ministry of Culture has begun the procedure for transferring the Church of St. Nicholas to the free use (loan) of state or municipal property, which is religious property, in accordance with the requirements of the Transfer Procedure," the statement reads.

The Ministry of Culture noted that on October 3, they contacted the state organization "National House of Organ and Chamber Music of Ukraine," which currently owns the church, and received the necessary documents to place the building in list of loan objects.

Regarding the appeal to the State Service for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience, the Ministry of Culture noted that they had applied there after a request from a religious organization. The State Service for Ethnic Policy approved the transfer of the church building for free use.

As of now, the procedure for preparing the decision of the Ministry of Culture to transfer the loaned object for free use to religious organizations is still underway. Subsequently, a free use agreement will be concluded.

"Please note that the Ministry of Culture intends to complete the process of transferring the Church of St. Nicholas as soon as possible by signing a contract of free use (loan) between the State Organization "National House of Organ and Chamber Music of Ukraine" and the Religious Organization "Religious Community of St. Nicholas Parish of the Kyiv-Zhytomyr Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Kyiv," the response reads.

• on December 11, Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets accused the Ministry of Culture of delaying the transfer of St. Nicholas Church to the Roman Catholic parish. According to them, the church is in critical condition, but no measures are being taken, and its transfer is allegedly being sabotaged