‘If at least a third of our communities can describe in just one sentence what kind of community they are and what they want, it will be much easier to defend their interests.’ This is precisely how Oleksandr Korniienko, First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, defines one of the key preconditions for the successful development of communities.

This idea seems to best convey the idea behind the podcast “Governance”. The discussion is not only about the outcomes of one of the most far-reaching stages of local self-government reform. It is about the future of Ukrainian communities: what they need to become in order to be competitive in the European Union, how to learn to think strategically, build partnerships and make the most of the opportunities that European integration will bring.

Oleksandr Korniienko, First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, was the guest on the podcast. Together with Vitalii Bezgin, who is now Minister for Communities, Territories and Internally Displaced Persons, they discuss the completion of the administrative-territorial reform, the political and financial implications of decentralisation, the relationship between the state and local self-government, as well as the challenges communities are already facing on the path to Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.

An important statement is made during the conversation: once Ukraine joins the EU, no one will create separate rules or simplified conditions for Ukrainian communities. The competition for European projects, partnerships and funding will be the same for everyone. This means that communities need to start working right now on strategic planning, building professional teams, developing international links, and preparing high-quality projects.

The interlocutors pay particular attention to the fact that a successful community begins with a clear understanding of its own identity and long-term goals. According to Oleksandr Korniienko, exactly this enables communities to attract partners more effectively, defend the community’s interests, and find their place within the European space.

The podcast also discusses the natural role of local self-government in its cooperation with central government, the completion of the legislative framework for the reform, the financial basis for the development of communities, the European Union’s cohesion policy, support for internally displaced persons, and other issues that will shape the development of communities in the coming years.

We invite you to listen to the podcast “Governance”. It will appeal to anyone working on community development, shaping local policy or simply wishing to gain a better understanding of what the next stage of local self-government reform in Ukraine might look like.