Photo via newlife.by

The church is recognised guilty of territory pollution

In the morning of February, 26th the judge of Moscow region of Minsk Elena Shilko handed over to the lawyer of New Life church the decision in which the community is recognized guilty of surrounding territory pollution by mineral oil. Thus, the church should pay 263 million Belarus roubles as indemnification for a damage put to the nature, and also the penalty in 250 base sizes (8 million 750 thousand roubles) that the given damage is put, reports New Life church Information Center.

In the decision it is said, that representatives of nature protection committee of Minsk state executive committee had the right independently, without attraction of representatives of church and witnesses, to take soil samples, check them in their laboratory and make a claim regardless of whether the owner of the land is guilty or not.

The judge disregarded arguments of the representative of church that environmental contamination (if that really is available) could arise long before acquisition by a community of the given ground area. It is not taken into consideration by the judge and that fact, that believers have put in order by own strength the territory adjoining to a building of the former cow-shed. As a result it exposes the penalty, in the sum coming nearer to 100 thousand US dollars. Also without attention there were other arguments of lawyer Sergey Lukanin with references to the legislation.

Sergey Lukanin said that the judge was just executing an order of the government. “During the judicial trial the judge expressed indignation at the position of the government officials who, without knowledge of the church administration and witnesses took the soil samples,” said Lukanin. “But miraculously just a day after her position changed.”

On February 28 during the main church service, members of the church decided to make an appeal.

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TAGS: Belarus New Life Church territory pollution mineral oil Sergey Lukanin

[03/02/2010]

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