Head of the Lviv RSA comments on the conflict around UOC in Zolochiv

Head of the Lviv RSA Maxim Kozitsky. Photo: a video screenshot from the YouTube NTA TV channel

On July 21, 2020, during a reporting press conference on the results of the work of the Lviv Regional State Administration for June, the Governor of the Lviv Region Maxim Kozitsky answered a question from journalists regarding “the possible construction of a church of the Moscow Patriarchate in Zolochiv”. The press conference was broadcast by the NTA TV channel.

“Do you have this situation under control? Who is building there and what? " the journalist asked the official.

In response to this question, Kozitsky stressed that the task of the regional state administration is to monitor the observance of laws in the region.

“Our task as an administration is to monitor the implementation of laws on the territory of the Lviv region. I’ve raised this issue in terms of the legality of the construction. At the moment, there are no work permits,” he said.

On July 8, 2020, clerics of the UGCC and public activists of Zolochiv protested against the construction of a UOC temple in the town. In fact, in Zolochiv no church construction is underway, as the secretary of the Lviv Eparchy of the UOC, Archpriest Alexander Ivanchenko, reported to the UOJ. He said that the conflict began after the clergyman of the eparchy, Priest Maxim Yoenko, with his family bought a house in the town and held a service in its territory at the request of believers.

Later, near the courtyard of the priest, a "veche" was held, to which the mayor of Zolochiv, Igor Grynkiv, brought a sledgehammer. "Veche" participants voiced the idea to reimburse Priest Maxim for the funds he spent on buying a house and repairing work so that he would leave the town.

Following the events, Metropolitan Filaret (Kucherov) of Lviv and Galicia called on the head of the Lviv Regional State Administration to ensure the observance of the rights of UOC believers in Zolochiv.

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