“New Life” church is being evicted
2006, an action to protect the "New Life" church. Photo by newlife.by
The court ruling of the
Supreme Economical Court was received by the believers on 27
November. According to it they must vacate the building by 5
November.
The church lawyer Siarhei Lukanin explains that the
reason for the eviction was the alleged misuse of the land on which
the church stands.
In 2002 the believers bought a former
cowshed in the Minsk outskirts and repaired it for their own money.
The problems started 7 years ago, but are especially acute now.
“In
2005 the Minsk City Executive Committee deprived us of the plot of
land by its decision. It was stated that the building would be
forcibly bought from us. We went through 30 trials, defending our
right to property. Pitifully enough, we lost all of them,” says the
lawyer.
In 2006 the believers had to start struggling for the
church by means of a hunger-strike, which they kept for 23
days.
After this the church pastor was invited to the
Presidential Administration for a talk with the then deputy-head of
the administration Alej Praliaskouski. Lukashenka asked the believers
to stop the hunger-strike in order to solve the case within the legal
framework. However, the case was passed to the Supreme Economical
Court for a new consideration.
In 2008 the Minsk City
Executive Committee proposed the believers to issue another plot for
the construction of the church – in Sharanhovich Street. However,
the believers refused, saying that the verdict on their case hasn't
been delivered yet. Moreover, taking into account the need of a
parking and drive-ins, they would be able to put there a wagon which
would seat only 50 people, whereas the present church can seat one
thousand visitors.
In 2009 the Supreme Economical Court ruled
that “New Life” was violating the law.
According to the
court ruling, received on 27 November 2012, the church has a week to
vacate the building. Today the believers hold an assembly to make
decisions about their further actions for the protection of the
church. According to Mr. Lukanin, they are not going to give the
temple away.
