From criticism and complaints about the current situation to the synergy of efforts of all and concrete actions of everyone, that will change the reasons of dissatisfaction. This is a simple and perhaps the only way to build a decent life for people in every village, urban-type settlement, city, region, country. Moreover, it is a peaceful way of overcoming external aggression against the Ukrainian people and the territorial integrity of Ukraine, stated Vyacheslav Nehoda, First Deputy Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services, during his working visit to the Zakarpattia Oblast.

Today, Uzhgorod hosted respectable audience to “synchronise watches” and update the action plan in the context of cross-border cooperation, which is important for the development of border areas, as well as a factor in the implementation of Ukraine’s European integration aspirations. MinRegion united representatives of the executive and local self-government of the border regions of Ukraine, regional development agencies, and public groups around the Strategic Session “Cross-Border Cooperation: Achievements and Challenges”.

“Ensuring effective local and regional development is the main task of the key reform in the country – the reform of local self-government and territorial organisation of power. This is a strategic goal that is not at hand, and you will not simply reach it, but this goal is achievable, if we are not afraid to move to it and if we do not create obstacles by our fear of changes. Without a decisive advancement of local self-government reform we will not have the chance to talk about serious changes in the development of cross-border cooperation. Therefore, today we have to jointly outline the starting point and the reachable distances towards which we must move,” said Vyacheslav Nehoda during the strategic session.

In the framework of the meeting the current trends and programmes of cross-border cooperation will be discussed, and particular attention will be paid to the role of civil society in the development of cross-border cooperation.