The government simplified conditions of constructing buildings for religious organizations

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine exempted the construction of religious buildings and buildings necessary for their service from the payment of replacement cost of green planting. The government accepted the corresponding decision at its last meeting on November 25, considering the unprofitable status of religious organizations and their solicitation in this case, reports the Institute of Religious Freedom. With the decision № 1254, which was published and on December 7 went into effect, the government brought changes to point 6 of the Order to remove trees, bushes, lawns, and flower gardens in population areas, ratified by the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on August 1, 2006 № 1045.  The new edition of point 6 of this Order provides the payment of the replacement cost of the green planting will not be implemented in the cases of “construction of religious buildings and buildings necessary for their service, which is carried out by religious organizations, regulations which are incorporated in the order of a set law (on condition of concordance of such a building from the State Committee on Nationalities and Religions and the Ministry of Environmental Protection.)” The motive for this resolution of the government was due to the appeal of the churches and religious organizations which recognized the great spiritual-enlightening and social significance of religious buildings with their unprofitable status that raise funds for their constructions from donations of citizens. On Thursday, November 26, during the meeting of the Commission on Guaranteeing the Rights of Religious Organizations Vice Prime Minister Ivan Vasyunyk informed the present representatives of the confessions about this decision, which was accepted by the government in order to improve the terms for developing  spirituality in Ukraine. In this context Vasyunyk also expressed hope that religious organizations, which usually take care of ecological problems, will continue to do so in the future even after the acceptance of the decision.

www.irs.in.ua