Smolninsky district court of St. Petersburg dismissed the administrative claim to the city authorities on the transfer of the Saint Isaac’s Cathedral Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). On Thursday, March 16, reports TASS.
The basis for this decision was that the Committee of property relations governing the transfer of the Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church has already been challenged in court, at the suit of a decision to a higher court.
The lawsuit was filed on March 15, applicants it comprised 32 people.
In late January, the Primorskiy district court refused to consider a similar claim. In March, the appeal against the refusal was dismissed by the St. Petersburg city court, which upheld the decision of the court of first instance.
To participate in the examination were representatives of the Museum “St. Isaac’s Cathedral”, Russian Orthodox Church, Ministry of culture, the municipal Committee for culture and St. Petersburg Governor Georgy Poltavchenko, said the TV channel REN TV.
In January, the St. Petersburg authorities have agreed to transfer the St. Isaac Cathedral, the Russian Orthodox Church for free use for 49 years. Governor Georgy Poltavchenko promised to keep the Museum function of the building, however this decision has caused the dissatisfaction of many citizens. In St. Petersburg held a series of protests. For the first time representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church has requested the transfer of Isaac in 2015, but then they refused.