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KYIV — The Supreme Court of Ukraine confirmed the right of ownership of the Roman Catholic parish in Dnipropetrovsk. On November 26, 2009, the court declined the appeal of the corporation Dugsbery and announced its decision to leave unchanged the previous decisions of the courts, which recognized the right of ownership of the church building to the Catholics.

According to the senior priest of St. Josef’s parish, the decision of the court confirms the fact that the position of the parish, which has been represented in courts by the parish’s lawyers, is grounded and in accordance with Ukrainian law.

According to the magazine Credo, the court session was also attended by a lawyer of the Legal Department of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration, H. Veliiev, who supported the position of the Roman Catholic parish. “We view the position of the court in the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration as the indication that our state Ukraine restores historical justice and fulfills the Decree of the President on restitution of religious property to religious organizations,” noted the parish priest Fr. Kazymyr.

“The Catholic community in Dnipropetrovsk gladly welcomes the decision of the Supreme Economic Court of Ukraine even though we do not forget that Mr. Lazarenko prepares another ‘battle for the temple’ in the Luhansk court through his representative Oleh Steblianko,” added the priest.