Residents Ask Pope To Intervene in Dispute Over Catholic Church Construction in Kyiv

The residents of the Obolon District of Kyiv are asking Pope Francis to persuade the representatives of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine not to build a church in Obolon, they stated at a press conference in UNIAN with the participation of the initiative group of the residents of Obolon District who oppose the construction of the Roman Catholic Church of St. Francis of Assisi.

Representatives of the initiative group state that the documents provided by the representatives of the developer contradict the law in force and that provocations and untrue information about wounding of nuns are spread.

A representative of the initiative group, Vlodymyr Yankovyi, stated that the territory where the church is to be built had always been a green area and that under the Soviets, a playground was located here. In the recent time, the area has also been managed: benches were installed, trees planted, etc.

He stressed that dialogues with the developer can be likened to a talk between a blind man and a dumb man and that the announced meetings do not take place.

According to a representative of the initiative group, Maryna Chudnovska, a number of legislative acts prohibiting construction in green zones are being violated and during the preparation of the documents regarding the land plot allocation, the condition of consent of the residents of the neighboring buildings was stipulated. She also stated that the residents were not against the Roman Catholic community but against any construction.  

The letter to the pope reads that after the protests of the local community, the Roman Catholics were offered another plot but they refused, saying the disputed plot has better conditions.