The issue of development of mountainous territories of the Ukrainian Carpathians should be considered in the context of human development and quality of life of the highland residents.

This was stated by Alyona Babak, Minister of Communities and Territories Development, in Kyiv during the final roundtable discussion of the prospects for the development of mountainous territories of the Ukrainian Carpathians in the context of the preparation of the draft State Programme for the Development of the Region of Ukrainian Carpathians for 2020-2022, which is being developed in pursuance of the Presidential Decree “On the Development of the Region of Ukrainian Carpathians”. The event is organised by the Ukrainian Association of Rayon and Oblast Councils within the framework of the activity of the Resource Centre for Sustainable Local Development.

According to Alyona Babak, the main task of the Government and the Ministry is to develop an effective mountainous territories’ development policy integrated into the national regional development policy and regional development strategies.

In the process of forming and implementing such a policy, it is important to take into account not only the natural, socio-economic and institutional features of mountainous areas, but also the best world practices.

“European Union countries develop mountainous areas, providing subsidies for production, investment aid, compensations to producers, and preserving the natural environment of the mountains. It is these principles that we should use as basis for the State Programme for the Development of the Ukrainian Carpathians Region and support them with development projects, implementation of which will increase the economic competitiveness of mountainous areas, ensure high quality of life of the population, preserve demographic potential and ethno-cultural heritage through the efficient use of local human and natural capital,” said Alyona Babak.

She called on the oblast state administrations to responsibly approach the final proposals for the draft Programme, to prepare which the regions have only a few days.

The Minister also requested the central executive authorities to thoroughly analyse the sectoral directions of the future programme.

“Together we have to come up with a high-quality draft governmental decision,” summed up Alyona Babak.

She also thanked the representatives of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland for their support in holding public discussions on issues related to the development of the Ukrainian Carpathians.

Michał Giergoń, Polish Charge d'Affaire ad interim in Ukraine, noted that Poland will continue to support Ukraine on the path of the reform, especially decentralisation, because he knows how important the role of local self-government in the country's development is.