Kyiv, July 25 (Interfax-Ukraine) – UAH 47 million has been allocated from Ukraine's state budget for the reconstruction of certain facilities in Kyiv at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery, St. Sophia Cathedral and St. Catherine Church in Chernihiv, Culture Minister Leonid Novokhatko has said.
He said at a press conference on Wednesday that he could not name the exact amount allocated to Ukraine’s preparations for marking the 1,025th anniversary of the Kyiv Rus conversion to Christianity, as a significant part of events are being held for free or using funds from sponsors.
“As for the state budget, I can name the figure. The government recently allocated UAH 47 million mainly for reconstruction, restoration and construction work at such facilities as Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, St. Sophia Cathedral and a citadel in Chernihiv – St. Catherine Church of the Kyiv Rus,” Novokhatko said.
Speaking about the level of readiness of these facilities to mark the 1,025th anniversary of the Rus Christianization, he said: “Certain work has been or is being completed at the main facilities related to the adoption of Christianity.”
The Segodnya newspaper, citing Head of Kyiv City State Administration Oleksandr Popov, reported that UAH 8 million would be spent from the city budget on the reconstruction of the St. Volodymyr’s Hill monument, UAH 8 million on the Magdeburg Law column, and UAH 20 million on the reconstruction of some buildings, including the Florovsky Monastery. In addition, around UAH 5 million will be spent on a concert in Kyiv on July 27.
