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The Donetsk District Administrative Court on April 2 canceled a presidential decree granting the Hero of Ukraine title to Stepan Bandera, leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists in the 1930-1950's.

Lawyer Volodymyr Olentsevych told this to Ukrainian News.

In his lawsuit the lawyer noted that the Hero of Ukraine title is the highest state award which is granted exclusively to citizens of Ukraine. Bandera was not a Ukrainian citizen, as he died in emigration long before the independency of Ukraine.

According to Volodymyr Olentsevych, the former setting of the court was postponed from March 24 in the wake of a decision to engage the grandson of Bandera in the case.

The court rejected a request from Bandera's grandson to postpone the meeting of the court by three months.

The court ruling can be challenged within ten days.

As Ukrainian News earlier reported, the European Parliament hopes that President Viktor Yanukovych of Ukraine will reconsider a decision to grant the Hero of Ukraine title to Stepan Bandera.

In January 2010, then President Viktor Yuschenko granted the Hero of Ukraine title to Bandera.

The Party of Regions said Viktor Yuschenko's presidential decree split the country.

Russia criticized Viktor Yuschenko for granting the Hero of Ukraine title to Stepan Bandera.