The Ukrainian city of Chortkiv (Ternopil region) and the Slovenian city of Grosuplje have become sister cities.

This was announced by Volodymyr Shmatko, Mayor of Chortkiv, who together with Peter Verlič, Mayor of Grosuplje, signed an international partnership agreement.

According to Volodymyr Shmatko, the municipalities agreed to cooperate in culture, education, business, environment protection, tourism, housing and utility services.

The municipalities also plan to jointly prepare applications for EU grant projects.

Peter Verlič stressed that Slovenia, including Grosuplje, would do everything possible for the victory of Ukraine. According to him, Grosuplje is preparing a humanitarian aid package for its sister city.

In January 2023, the Grosuplje delegation will visit the Chortkiv municipality at the invitation of the mayor.

The Chortkiv municipality twinned with the French municipality of Béziers in March and with the Latvian city of Talsi in August 2022.

Previously, Vyacheslav Nehoda, Deputy Minister for Communities and Territorial Development, urged foreign and Ukrainian municipalities to intensify the process of establishing sisterly relations. “Ukrainian municipalities have been well-trained by the reform of local self-government and are now being hardened by war. They have vast management experience, from the formation under new conditions and the implementation of reform objectives to ensuring the defence of their territories and providing support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. So there is something to learn from them. On the other hand, our municipalities have faced many difficulties caused by the war. Therefore, the support of municipalities internationally is critical,” he said.

In March 2022, the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine initiated the International Marathon of Local Governments aimed at drawing the attention of municipalities around the world to the tragedy of Ukrainian municipalities and boosting the process of establishing sisterly relations. The Marathon brought together more than a thousand municipalities from 35 countries.