“The decentralisation reform in Ukraine is a story of impressive success and return of the initiative into the hands of local hromadas,” Ambassador Hugues Mingarelli, Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, commented on the opening of the Administrative Service Centre in the Zolotnykivska amalgamated hromada.

“Due to this reform, people now solve many important issues related to local social and economic development on their own. The EU will continue to support the reform through consultations and trainings in a variety of areas, such as budget management, spatial planning and economic development. Among other things, the EU will support the establishment of up to 600 new administrative service centres in new hromadas that will bring important administrative services closer to those who need them.” said Hugues Mingarelli.

It is worth reminding that the Prime Minister of Ukraine participated in the opening of the ASC. Volodymyr Groysman expressed his gratitude to the international partners for their support of the reform: “I would like to express my gratitude to the international partners for their support of decentralisation in the country. This is the reform that made me, as a mayor, work for the central government. When we talked about hromadas’ amalgamation in 2014, nobody believed in it. But today I am glad when hundreds, and now thousands of leaders who assume responsibility for the well-being of the hromada residents, are gathering at the forum of the heads of amalgamated hromada.”

The new ASC in the Zolotnykivska AH was established with the support of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme. Over 9,000 hromada residents received access to quality administrative services. Prior to the emergence of the new ASC in the hromada, the residents had to overcome the distance of over 30 km to the nearest centre.