10 March 2011, 10:12
Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine received a response to his appeal to Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov concerning the situation in Pereyaslav National Historical-Ethnographic Reserve, and the legitimacy of construction of a buildup to the monument of architecture Saint Michael´s Church.
The said reserve includes a unique national monument of architecture Saint Michael´s Church. The Museum of Middle-Dnieper Ukrainian Costumes has been located in the church since the year of 1959. However, considering the appeal of the religious community of Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Saint Michael´s Parish, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Ukraine issued a decree on 01.04.2010, transferring the church into the common use of the reserve and the church community. A special regime of maintenance was established to preserve the monument, its decorations, and other historical-cultural valuables. Nevertheless, illegal construction of a build-up to the renowned national monument of architecture has been recently launched, which is an inadmissible violation of the protection regime of the cultural heritage.
The response of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Ukraine reads that under clauses 5, 22, and 24 of the Law of Ukraine "On Protection of Cultural Heritage", the State Service in charge of National Cultural Heritage obliged the Pereyaslav National Historical-Ethnographic Reserve to terminate any construction works on the premises of the national monument of architecture Saint Michael´s Church immediately.
The response informs that a working group is being set up to verify the fact of unauthorized construction works on the premises of Saint Michael´s Church, and settle the issue under the applicable legislation on the protection of cultural heritage.