The law grants starostas far more tools than they themselves realise. However, a comprehensive study has shown that both starostas themselves and communities still view them merely as economic managers, and this costs rural areas real money.

Nataliia Mamchak, Polaris Program expert, shared this insight during the panel discussion “The Starosta and Their Powers for the Development of the Territory”, which was held within the framework of the Summit of the All-Ukrainian Association of Communities in Khmelnytskyi region.

Starostas have the right to attend council meetings and its standing committees with an advisory vote; they have the right to attend meetings of the executive committee; they are guaranteed the right to speak at plenary sessions of the council, its standing committees and the executive committee on matters concerning the interests of residents of the starosta district; and they may initiate general meetings (conferences) of residents. But instead, they spend the whole day thinking about where to repair the road and how to order sand for a pothole in the street. This is exactly what the work of most Ukrainian starostas looks like.

The Polaris Programme conducted a comprehensive study in 2024, which covered 1,916 starostas and 1,471 representatives of local governments, with the support of the relevant committee of the Verkhovna Rada. According to the findings, the overwhelming majority of respondents perceive the starosta primarily as an “economic manager”.

But the law says otherwise: Article 54-1 of the Law on Local Self-Government clearly states that the starosta’s main responsibility is to act in the interests of residents within the council’s executive bodies.

‘Formally, the starosta has sufficient influence tools, but in practice this potential is only partially used,’ noted Nataliia Mamchak.

The analysis of the investment portfolios of ten partner communities shows that a greater number of projects in rural starosta districts does not necessarily mean a larger volume of funding. The proportion of projects and the proportion of funds allocated to rural areas differ significantly.

‘EU countries faced this issue over 30 years ago. They realised that if development priorities are not shaped in rural areas, there can be no systematic development,’ noted the Polaris expert.

In 1991, the EU launched the LEADER approach – a development model where residents, businesses, and authorities jointly set priorities. No single party holds a majority; decisions are made where people live, not in regional centres. Over three decades, the model has proven its effectiveness.

Nowadays, this approach is gradually being integrated into Ukrainian rural development policy. In particular, the operational action plan for 2025–2027 for the implementation of the Strategy for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas until 2030 provides for the introduction of new approaches in line with EU principles. A working group on coordinating the implementation of the LEADER approach, operating under the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, is currently working on launching the LEADER approach as a tool for this policy.

To ensure that starostas become genuine leaders in the development of their starosta districts, the expert outlined five steps: forming initiative groups of residents, building partnerships with local businesses and neighbouring communities, participating in strategic planning, launching and monitoring projects, and maintaining a constant dialogue with people.