On 17 November 2017 the opening of the Administrative Service Centre (ASC) took place in the amalgamated hromada of the Pidvolochysk rural settlement. The ASC was established at the expense of the local budget and funds from the Reform of Municipal Services in Eastern Ukraine project implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Government.

The ASC of the Pidvolochyska AH occupies 100 sq. m. It will provide over 140 administrative services including those of registration, land relations, construction, issuance of licenses, certificates (on family composition, on participation of the Ukrainian citizen in the personal rural economy, notarial and other certificates). The newly established Centre has developed information and operation cards located at the reception.

According to Stepan Barna, head of the Ternopil Oblast State Administration, ASCs allow to provide decent comfort to people living in amalgamated hromadas. The head of the Ternopil Oblast expressed his gratitude to the residents of the Pidvolochyska hromada for the initiatives they are implementing within the framework of decentralisation. In the course of two years, the Pidvolochysk Rayon received significant funds – more than UAH 30 million – from the state.

According to Taras Zhuravel, head of the the Reform of Municipal Services in Eastern Ukraine project project, services should be provided easily, conveniently, quickly and transparently. Most importantly, citizens applying to the ASC should receive high-quality services so that their expectations from the reform results are justified.

Viktor Lytvynchuk, Director of the Ternopil Local Government Development Centre, established with the support of the U-LEAD with Europe programme and MinRegion of Ukraine, noted that opening of the ASC in the Pivolochyska AH offers new opportunities. In particular, the ASC will be able not only to provide high-quality services to the hromada residents, but also bring additional revenues to the budget. Involvement of the ASC in the inter-municipal cooperation programme can be additional innovation.