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Russian embassy does not confirm arrest of land of spiritual and cultural center in Paris

The construction of the Russian spiritual and cultural center is underway in the 7th Arrondissement of Paris close to the Eiffel Tower

PARIS, February 8. /TASS/. The Russian embassy has not confirmed information about the arrest of the plot of land of the Russian spiritual and cultural center in Paris. "We have no information about the arrest. The situation with the spiritual and cultural center has remained unchanged," the embassy told TASS.

The diplomatic mission recalled that the last verdict had been pronounced on January 22 when a court in Paris refused to consider the request to suspend the construction of the Russian spiritual and cultural center in the French capital submitted to the lawyers of Hulley Enterprises Limited. This company registered in Cyprus and representing the interests of the former shareholders of the Yukos oil company sought the immediate cessation of the construction work threatening fines.

Members of the Paris Court of First Instance said it was outside their jurisdiction to make such decisions. Turning down the claim, they ruled that Hulley Enterprise Limited should pay 7,500 euros to both Russia and France’s Bouygues construction company as a compensation for their legal expenses and to pay the costs incurred by the court itself.

The construction of the Russian spiritual and cultural center is underway in the 7th Arrondissement of Paris close to the Eiffel Tower. It will include an Orthodox church, a seminary, a library and a center for holding meetings with representatives of the Russian community and acquainting Parisians with Orthodox Christian culture. In addition to that, a Russian-French school is due to open on its territory.

Lawyers of Hulley Enterprises Limited lodged a claim over Russia’s real property assets citing the decision of the Court of Arbitration in The Hague on the lawsuit of former Yukos shareholders. The Russian side has expressed disagreement with this ruling of the Hague court which had no jurisdiction for that. Russian representatives recalled that Yukos had committed large-scale tax evasion.