Both the land and powers on territory planning should be concentrated in the amalgamated hromadas. It is crucial for their further development, said Georg Milbradt, Special Envoy of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany for the Ukrainian reform in the areas of governance and decentralisation, at a press conference in Kyiv, commenting on yesterday’s decision of the Government on the transfer of land outside settlements into communal ownership of amalgamated hromadas.

“Based on the German experience I will say that it is better to have the land and territory planning opportunities in the hromadas. These issues are crucial for their further development,” said Georg Milbradt.

It is worth reminding that the Special Envoy of the Government of the Federal Republic and Hennadii Zubko, Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine presented a legislative route on decentralisation, comprising 17 key draft laws.

The legislative decentralisation route contains the draft laws that will determine the order of formation, liquidation of rayons, establishment and change of their boundaries; regulate some land issues and spatial planning issues of AHs; unblock the process of consolidation of hromadas of the cities of oblast significance, and other draft laws aimed at implementation of the tasks of the reform of local self-government and territorial organisation of power.

“It is precisely the time when we must make a decision and apply to the parliament in order to adopt 17 key draft laws on decentralisation. These are the draft laws worked out by MinRegion together with MPs, local hromadas, civil society and experts. Their adoption will enable strengthening of the decentralisation reform already this year,” said Hennadii Zubko.

Georg Milbradt expressed the viewpoint that important draft laws in the context of the reform should be adopted by summer. Otherwise, he said, the reform will be dragged on for years, which is not acceptable to Ukraine.

He drew attention to the fact that decentralisation, apart from the territories’ development, is important for the country, as it changes the mentality of people.

“Decentralisation is a change in the mentality of people. It enables them to decide on solution of local issues on their own and provides an understanding that they are the state,” said Georg Milbradt.