In Lviv, the Halytskyi District Prosecutor’s Office has filed a lawsuit seeking to terminate the lease and sublease agreements for non-residential premises on the ground floor of the Lviv City Hall building and to oblige the tenants to vacate these areas.
According to the report, on 26 August this year the Commercial Court of Lviv Region opened proceedings in a case concerning part of the premises with an area of almost 650 sq. m, which are currently used by a catering establishment.
The City Hall building is a monument of architecture of national significance, which entails strict requirements for its preservation. At such sites, it is prohibited to carry out repair works, reconstruction or remodelling without an official permit from the Ministry of Culture, and without its approval it is also forbidden to lease out property, change its designated use or place advertising on the façades.
The prosecutor’s office identified a number of violations: the lease and sublease agreements were concluded without the mandatory permit from the Ministry of Culture and on a non-competitive basis. In addition, the premises were remodelled without authorisation — a stairwell was dismantled and new walls were erected.
According to the prosecutor’s office, these actions are contrary to the requirements of the Laws of Ukraine “On the Protection of Cultural Heritage” and “On the Lease of State and Municipal Property”. This became the basis for filing a claim to terminate the lease and sublease agreements and to return the disputed premises to the community.