Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi faces criminal charges over state land he illegally transferred to a church

Sadovyi set up the UGCC in a very ugly way when he transferred the land of the Metropolitan Gardens, which are located near this famous church, to St. George’s Cathedral in 2020. Everything seems to be logical: The Cathedral was given the land near the Cathedral, and the Metropolitan Gardens.

The problem is that it was done as illegally as possible. This land has belonged to the state since 1951: it is used by the RRT Concern and the State Special Communications Administration. It is clear that the shocked landowners went to court and won, because Sadovyi simply disposed of someone else’s property. The Economic Court of Lviv Region returned the land to the RRT Concern. Moreover, according to our information, criminal proceedings have been initiated against Sadovyi and the MPs.

Against this backdrop, the mayor decided to hide behind the church again and bring the problem to the level of the president. According to his calculations, this is how history should sparkle with new colors. Because at the national level, Sadovyi will look like a defender of the church’s interests. And if the case fails anyway, it can be portrayed as an attack on local government.

Anyone who has been to Lviv over the past year can see how quickly the city is being built up. Therefore, it seems that Sadovyi cares more about the interests of developers who are concerned about state land. For example, the city authorities are now trying to get the land of the state-owned Prosthetic Plant transferred to municipal ownership through Kyiv. Of course, they are planning commercial development there – to expand the Real City residential complex with this land.

Sadovyi also claimed the Vlasta hotel, which belonged to the Defense Ministry. It was only thanks to publicity that it was saved from being transferred to the city’s communal property for free.