CHURCH OPPOSES ALLOWING CULTURE MINISTRY TO RESTRICT TRANSFER OF STATE PROPERTY TO RELIGIOUS ORGAIZATIONS
Interfax-Religiia, 16 May 2018
The Russian Orthodox Church has still not been drawn into a discussion of a new law on culture, but it is interested in stating its position relative to the use of real estate and questions of preserving monuments of history and culture, the director of the legal service of the Moscow patriarchate, Hegumena Ksenia, told journalists.
"In particular, an amendment was proposed that provides for the right of the Ministry of Culture to establish certain lists of property, objects of the cultural heritage and monuments of history and culture, that cannot be alienated from state ownership. We are concerned here about some kind of arbitrary approach to monuments of history and culture, and we suggest that civil legislate clearly state that only federal law can restrict the surrender of one or another object of real estate," Sister Ksenia said on Wednesday on the margins of the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum.
In her opinion, surrendering this question to the consideration of a governmental agency is inexpedient, and if such an amendment to the legislation on culture is again proposed, the church will oppose it.
The head of the legal service of the patriarchate noted that amendments that were tentatively proposed for inclusion in the "Foundations of legislation of the RF on culture" need more intense and comprehensive consideration and discussion.
In December 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the preparation of a new law on culture. The head of state proposed to members of the Council on Culture to work with colleagues and representatives of relevant ministries to develop and compose a draft of a law on culture and create a working group. The president expressed the opinion that a new law should preserve and develop existing, successful forms of governmental support of culture as much as possible. (tr. by PDS, posted 16 May 2018)
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