Ukrainian authorities impound Roman Catholic church building
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 7 September 2010 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Ukrainian authorities impound Roman Catholic church building, 7 September 2010, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4cb83e7123.html [accessed 4 November 2019] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
September 07, 2010
DNIPROPETROVSK, Ukraine – The municipal authorities in Ukraine's eastern city of Dnipropetrovsk have impounded the Roman Catholic Church of St. Joseph, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reports.
Catholic parish leader Valeriy Hmyrko told RFE/RL that the Luhansk Oblast Economic Court decided this week to impound the church building, of which the parishioners are the legal owners.
The court provided no explanation for that ruling.
The church was built in 1887-90 with funds raised by the city's Roman Catholic community.
In 1998 the church building was privatized by Dugsberry, a private U.S.-registered company linked to former Ukrainian Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko, who is currently in prison in the United States for graft and embezzlement.
Ukraine's Supreme Economic Court ruled last year to return the building to the parish community.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
