Ukraine needs consolidation for development. It should show specific results for every Ukrainian who brings a child to a kindergarten, school or applies for medical or administrative services, said Hennadii Zubko, Vice Prime Minister-Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine, speaking at the Regional Development Council chaired by the President of Ukraine.

“The country expects new quality of management, opportunities and responsibility. And in this context, the country's successful implementation of the decentralisation reform, which consolidates the country and sews it through hromadas’ amalgamation, is important for the state. According to perspective plans, we already have 1210 AHs approved by the Government, that cover 77.2% of Ukraine. But we do not stop, and face a challenge to form all perspective plans of the oblasts with full coverage of Ukraine’s territory in 2019. The same applies to the temporarily occupied territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts and the annexed Autonomous Republic of Crimea, depicted with white spots on the current map. The Ukrainians, who are hostages forced to go to fake elections at gun point, must clearly see their place in European Ukraine,” noted Hennadii Zubko.

According to him, decentralisation enables each hromada to build its development strategy. “In 2019, all hromadas should formulate strategies clearly showing what will be going on within the territories not only to Ukrainians, but primarily indicating promising areas for investment, human resources, etc., to investors,” Hennadii Zubko mentioned.

He reported that 865 AHs, uniting almost 8.5 million Ukrainians, have been formed in Ukraine. For comparison, in 2015, there were 159 AHs established, in 2016 – 366 AHs and in 2017 – 665 AHs. “Our task by 2020 is 100% coverage of Ukraine with AHs with full transfer of powers, resources and opportunities. And for this purpose, we constantly provide hromadas with incentives and additional motivation. This year, we have adopted a law that allowed accession of hromadas to cities of oblast significance without holding elections. And already 16 cities of oblast significance have increased their capabilities due to AHs’ accession,” said the official.

Hennadii Zubko also mentioned 99 rayons with no AHs formed so far. “In 50 of these rayons the governing bodies were appointed in 2015. These are the rayons with open sabotage of the reform. This is an unacceptable situation that impedes the country’s consolidation. Therefore, I appeal to all the heads of the Oblast State Administrations to pay attention to this and make appropriate decisions. We have to cover these white spots,” Hennadii Zubko emphasised.