The III International Forum of Agglomerations in Ukraine: “Cooperation between Communities in Functional Territories” kicked off in Lviv.

In a video address to participants, Vitalii Bezgin, Minister for Communities, Territories and Internally Displaced Persons, outlined the next steps for the development of agglomerations: amendments to sectoral legislation and practical solutions for territories that are already effectively functioning as agglomerations.

‘For me, just as for each of you, the issue of agglomerations is neither new nor alien. Together, we have devoted years to promoting the metropolitan model of governance in Ukraine. Likewise, together with you, shoulder to shoulder, we have seen amendments to the law on the principles of state regional policy. Finally, over the past few months, the Government has adopted a resolution on the functional types of territories,’ said the Minister.

According to Vitalii Bezgin, it is now important to move on to changes in sectoral legislation. He named inter-city bus services as one example.

‘The next steps should focus on sectoral legislation and resolving specific sectoral issues. A striking example is inter-city bus services. To this end, we already have a draft law that has passed committee stage and is awaiting its first reading,’ he noted.

The Minister emphasised that consistent steps and cooperation with international partners, in particular the Council of Europe, should help move from discussions to practical results.

‘Through such small steps, in parallel with cooperation with international partners such as the Council of Europe, which has been supporting this process for years, we will be able to achieve practical results. When I speak of practical results, I refer not only to Lviv region. The same applies to Ivano-Frankivsk, Kryvyi Rih, Dnipro, and other territories where agglomerations have already de facto formed and, unfortunately, lack a regulatory framework,’ said Vitalii Bezgin.

He also expressed the hope that, after the MinRehion’s reorganisation, the Ministry will be able to become a stronger partner and advocate for the development of agglomerations.

‘Together we develop solutions, together we advocate, together we achieve results for our communities and citizens,’ the Minister concluded.

The first day of the Forum is dedicated to the vision and development of metropolitan governance in Ukraine. The second day focuses on practical issues of inter-municipal cooperation: mobility, waste management, water resources, and sustainability of territories.

The Forum was organised by the Lviv Agglomeration Association and Lviv City Council, in cooperation with and with the support of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe and the RELEVE project (Expertise France), which forms part of the U-LEAD with Europe programme.