In the capital, a unique cultural space, the Museum of Prominent Figures of Ukrainian Culture, has been successfully protected. Thanks to the principled stance of the prosecutor's office, the court finally canceled all permits for the construction of an office and residential complex near the houses where Lesya Ukrainka, Mykola Lysenko, Mykhailo Starytsky, and Panas Saksahansky lived and worked. This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General, writes UNN.
Details
In the heart of Kyiv, next to the historical estates of artists from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, a struggle for land has been ongoing for years. Back in 2010, the Kyiv City Council, contrary to the law, transferred over half a hectare to a private company for the construction of a hotel, parking, and office premises. The plot belongs to the museum's protected zone and is part of the historical area of the capital, where any new construction is prohibited.
The developer tried to force cultural heritage bodies through courts to issue permits. The prosecutor's office systematically countered these attempts: it filed lawsuits, sought the annulment of adopted decisions, and ultimately proved its case in the Supreme Court. The Grand Chamber confirmed the illegality of the development and ordered the return of the land to community ownership.
Thus, the prosecutor's office defended not only the museum complex but also the general principle – commercial interests cannot be higher than society's right to preserve its historical and cultural heritage.
Thanks to this decision, Kyiv will preserve one of its key cultural centers, and the museum will continue to be open to Kyiv residents and guests of the city, reminding them that culture and memory form the basis of Ukrainian statehood.