In 2012, the governor of Vitebsk region Alexander Kosinets grandiose plans to attract tourists in Polotsk. At the Saviour and St. Euphrosyne, according to his idea, was to appear pedestrian street and hotel complexes. On the river – a floating restaurant and boat rentals. Even planned helicopter landing pad. The entire project is estimated at nearly $ 250 million.
Three years have passed. Comprehensive program of Polotsk provides for the inclusion of tourism in the list of the main directions of development of the city. But during this time had a clear coast in paintings. With the Turkish investor contract terminated. In the local budget money for such a project no. And only the church does not depart from the goal – buys a house behind the house at the monastery to create here a quarter.
Polotsk is in the top 5 most visited cities in Belarus. Every year it attracts up to 300,000 visitors. This is an extremely low figure when compared with those in neighboring Poland and Lithuania. There historical city visited by millions of tourists.
Three years ago, authorities said near Saviour and St. Euphrosyne should be tourist street – local residents of dilapidated houses expected to relocate in their place to build hotels and restaurants. Believers, learning about such a prospect, began to write the president. Like, it is not necessary here to arrange fountains and a cafe-devils. In 2012, Lukashenko came to Polotsk and said that the decision made by quarter, useless to complain. But the crisis has prevented realize ambitious plans.
Local residents are offered to settle in barracks
By the Saviour and St. Euphrosyne has a small residential area. After the war, the land is given to teachers Forest College and a professional soldier. Some homes more than 60 years. Although the quarter is a 10-minute drive from the center, this calm and quiet – almost like a village. Heating stove, gas – in cylinders, water and sewage, many still do not.
As planned by the authorities, in place of these houses have been born souvenir shops, restaurants, and hotels. Then mayor of Polotsk Alexander Poznyakov said that interest in the project showed a group of Turkish companies. The Department of Economics confirmed that an investment agreement was signed with the company "Sednats", but to build it never came.
"There was a question who will be engaged in resettlement of residents – said the chief specialist of Maria Matiushenko. – The investor did not have the funds, the city also. "
According to her, now an investor to build in the area tourist area not, but searches are conducted.
Meanwhile, the church operates more strongly. According to local residents, in the last year abbess bypassed all the family with the question of the conditions under which people are willing to leave their homes.
"There is a program in which it will be considered as the historical center, – says one of the old-timers. – As soon as the state will have money, people evicted. While the budget has no money, the church said, if you have money, negotiate with the locals. I understand that the church gladly grabbed for it, because redeem not only the house, but also the entire territory. "
Saviour and St. Euphrosyne.
"Reluctant to leave no – the man says. – Here mother lived. She died three years ago. Went to the executive committee should be given the green light to repair. And there are not allowed. They say, they say, if you want to – repair, but when you are evicted, we will compensate you nothing. Said that the house is out of order, and offered to move to the barracks. By law, such housing is considered to be relevant."
The neighbor across the street is also hoping to stay longer at the old place. His home of 75 years. "But if you stay, do not allow to reconstruct, because there is a historical area", – he explains.
According to him, representatives of the Church agree with each different: because someone wants a new apartment or house, and someone arrange cash. The transaction amount depends on how many people are prescribed, what lands and footage of the house. There are those who ask for the old house of 100 thousand euros.
His neighbor behind the house into three rooms and a bath to provide 3-room apartment in a residential area.
Are you satisfied with the inhabitants of such an alternative?
"In this house lived a woman who was under 70 years – shows on the yellow brick house inhabitant of the house № 92. – She bought an apartment in a residential area on the street Marinenko, so she gladly left, because she was in the house furnace heating – coal need to order, to bring, to decompose. Now there will be no problems."
According to locals, the church bought the house until demolition. Somewhere shift stove, somewhere started with improvement area. In some homes may already posted pilgrims. A former kindergarten is a Sunday school.
The crisis has played into the hands and locals, and churches – from the government and private investors is no money for this quarter. This means that the eviction will be voluntary.
"We understand that hang in the balance, – says a resident of 92 th house. – On the other hand, while the money from the budget intended for the reconstruction of the "red Hospital. '" We are talking about the reconstruction of the quarter in the Upper Castle.
Forestry College offers to move to the former military barracks
In the balance of eviction and Forestry College, the building which is across the street from the management of the Polotsk diocese. When Vitebsk religious school was converted into a seminary – a higher educational institution, there was talk that the branch will transfer to Polotsk, the building Forest College.
Polotsk Forest College is located in a former diocesan school, which was built in 1907. Photo wildlife.by
Polotsk Forest College – the only profile institution of its kind in the country. This year he will celebrate 94 years since the founding. There has about 500 students. Director Svetlana Sherman said that graduates are distributed throughout the country.
"You should have seen what's going on distribution! Our specialists are in great demand. Per person, on average, three applications, "– she says.
In 2012, there was talk that the college will be evicted and the building – a monument of culture and architecture – give Polotsk diocese. Instead, local authorities offered by colleges old military barracks. According to the director, the city came to Deputy Education Minister Sergey Rudy, and it did not accept this option.
"The last two years, all is calm and quiet, no one bothers us, – she says. – Former military barracks, of course, have a huge area, but to meet the requirements of the educational institution, you need to invest a lot of money in repairs. And the heat is building expensive. "
Abbess: we want to return our land and house
In 1924, the Saviour and St. Euphrosyne was closed by order of the Soviet authorities. The nuns began to return here only in the late 80's.
According to the director of Polotsk National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve Tamara Dzhumantaevoy, during the Soviet era in the building of the monastery were given apartments, mostly military. In the house where the Bishop lives today, after the war settled the first secretary of the regional party committee. With regard to private buildings, the people got their own plots and erected here at home.
Once belonged to the monastery are even close (in the direction of the military unit) fish ponds. Next was a construction of cottages, which was inhabited by the faithful of St. Petersburg, who came in the summer of Polotsk. Now there is also a summer residence, but private.
"We quietly buy out what was the monastery, – says the prioress Spaso Euphrosyne convent abbess Evdokia. – Purchase vicarage, monastic house, where there were six apartments. We ask people to help us. With God's help, slowly people buy an apartment and get our vital. We do not need someone else's. "
Forest College is the former religious school. "Of course, we'd love to have this building belonged to us, – says the mother. – We have so much blood needs of the monastery. But while this is not talking, because not everything depends on us."
According to her, former Mayor Alexander Pozniak put a condition: if the church would find sponsors to renovate the former military barracks at the school, only then college will be evicted.
"Of course, no sponsor was found. And no one was evicted," – said the abbess Evdokia.
With the locals trying to negotiate the monastery: "No one forced anyone does not send. And if someone asks for a house, buy a house for him. Who wants an apartment, buy an apartment."
Every year, thousands come to Polotsk believers.
One of the houses belonging to the monastery for pilgrims
"I have so many people say, "You have such a prestigious convent, but there is no normal hotel. We would have paid money to get us settled". But we only have three small house," – said the mother.
According to priests and believers, to build a church complex of entertainment options, as suggested a few years ago, it was inappropriate.
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