“Decentralisation: the current state and prospects of development” forum has opened in Kramatorsk today and was organized by the Donetsk Oblast State Administration, Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on State Building, Regional Policy and Local Self-Government, Ministry of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine. The event is supported by the Council of Europe Programme “Decentralisation and Territorial Consolidation in Ukraine”.

During the ceremonial opening, Pavlo Zhebrsvskyi, head of the Donetsk Oblast State Administration, stressed: “I am very pleased that this forum is held in the Donetsk Oblast for the second time. It means that decentralisation reform is important, and even vital for the Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts. Russia offers us a status for certain territories of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts to foist this cancer tumor to us. We should answer with decentralisation and established self-sufficient hromadas. The more successful this process is, the stronger our arguments will be in the negotiations. Ukraine knows how to set right its own territory. Kramatorsk is said to be the heart of the Donetsk Oblast, but in reality Donetsk city remains its heart. This heart is wounded, and though we do not have access to it yet, it will be in future. I would like us to share our experience at the forum today so that the hromadas work for people, children do not want to immigrate, but make their hromada successful instead.”

Vitaliy Kurylo, people’s deputy of Ukraine, deputy chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on State Building, Regional Policy and Local Self-Government, promised that new draft laws would facilitate the reform: “Our committee cares for the decentralisation reform, changes resolutions on changes in boundaries and names come through the Committee. An absolute majority of  issues are considered with 100% vote, so you will always find support. We have prepared a draft law on military and civilian administrations. The new law will substantially facilitate administration work. We worked with the Luhansk and Donetsk Oblasts In the process of preparation of this law, but we are also ready to introduce amendments. "

The forum is attended by people’s deputies of Ukraine – members of the Committee, heads of line subcommittees, representatives of the central bodies of executive power, local state administrations and local self-government bodies of the Donetsk Oblast and other regions of Ukraine, representatives of the Ukrainian associations of local self-government bodies, civil society, expert and scientific environment, as well as international partners.