The whole map of Ukraine in 2020 should be covered with amalgamated hromadas - with new opportunities and management system. And this will be striking leap forward in the development of the whole country, stated the Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman. He stressed that within the framework of the decentralisation reform the process of voluntary amalgamation of hromadas is in the finish stage. Almost 70% of Ukrainians are seizing opportunities and advantages of the reform.

"The task for 2020 is to wind up the process of amalgamation, so that all hromadas will be sufficient. If we were looking at the map, we could see hromadas in which we put into practice effective management system and financial resources. Then the situation will become better. It will be a crucial breakhtough. I look at it from a professional point of view", Volodymyr Groysman said.

The Head of Government recalled that he had been championing the idea of the reform long before its introduction. Moreover, at that time, the main argument in favor of change was the falsity of the governance and local government model that was in place at that time. That is why it has become a cause of decline in all spheres of life from the health system to the road industry.

"We have changed the situation in terms of opportunities. And now from year to year the situation will improve", Volodymyr Groysman underscored.

Background

On 23 January, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in the framework of strengthening local self-government capabilities initiates launch of a new stage of decentralisation reform which envisages consolidation of already achieved successes and formation of sustainable hromadas, changes in the territorial structure, clear delimitation of the powers and functions of control of different state authorities, as well as active development of local democracy, when citizens can always express their opinions on various issues, but not only during the election period. The goal of the new stage is to introduce and consolidate the changes by 2020 in order to hold local elections already on a new legislative and territorial basis. At present in Ukraine, 876 capable hromadas are created, local budgets grew significantly -to almost UAH 234 billion. The area of 1.5 million hectares of agricultural land has been transferred to the hromadas’ ownership.

The new stage envisages establishment of 100 capable areas and 1600-1800 capable hromadas, to consolidate the fiscal sustainability of local governance, to shape an effective governance system, to streamline the system of public control, and to avoid overlapping in functions.