Starostas - local self-government officials who represent the interests of residents of starosta districts - are the level of governance closest to the people. Their resilience, professional development, and legislative prospects were the focus of the Forum “The Role of the Starosta in the Community: Functions and Institutional Capacity,” which brought together more than 120 starostas, representatives of local governments, the Parliament of Ukraine, central executive bodies and experts.

The forum was opened by Oleksandr Korniienko, First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and Oleksii Riabykin, Deputy Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine.

Oleksii Riabykin thanked starostas for their work under wartime conditions and outlined further steps to support them:

“We aim to ensure that the institution of the starosta functions effectively. This includes proper working conditions, fair remuneration, and the provision of sufficient powers. At the same time, it is important to remember that a community is not only its central settlement but also all the villages, towns, and cities that are part of it. Therefore, one of the key priorities is ensuring balanced territorial development and a fair distribution of resources.”

A starosta is a key voice for residents within the community governance system. According to the results of a study conducted in December 2024 at the initiative of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on State Building, Local Governance, Regional Development and Urban Planning, the Polaris Programme, together with the NGO DESPRO, found that 75% of surveyed starostas consider their primary responsibility to be representing the interests of residents of their district before the executive committee and the council.

“Today, starostas are the level of local self-government closest to people, and during the war they often carry the greatest burden of work at the local level. Strengthening this institution is one of our key priorities, and the discussion on their status should ultimately lead to stronger local self-government. In particular, we are working on launching the law on service in local self-government bodies and addressing a number of practical issues to further support the institution of starostas,” said Oleksandr Korniienko.

“We systematically support the development of the institution of starostas both at the national level and directly in regions and communities, helping to strengthen their capacity and resilience during these challenging times. Starostas play a key role in the practical implementation of decisions at the local level,” said Susanna Dellans, Polaris Team Leader and SALAR International Representative in Ukraine.

During the forum, thematic discussions focused on key aspects of strengthening the institution of starostas. In particular, participants addressed the following issues:

• development of starosta districts and the role of starostas in shaping local development priorities;

• competencies of starostas and the organization of public service delivery, including cooperation with local self-government bodies and Administrative Service Centres;

• informing and engaging residents in decision-making processes within the community;

• the role of starostas in the local self-government system - from the legislative framework to the practical implementation of their powers.

Nataliia Aliushyna, Head of the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service, noted the importance of the professional development of starostas:

“Today, the institution of starostas is not only about representing residents’ interests. It is a professional community of communicators, psychologists, and crisis managers who work side by side with people every day. That is why this level of governance must be capable and receive real support from both the state and local bodies.”

The forum served as a platform for identifying solutions to further strengthen the institution of starostas. According to the monitoring results of the local self-government and territorial organization reform, 7,750 starosta districts have been established by communities, and 7,402 starostas have been appointed.