The process of decentralisation in Ukraine has supplemented the vocabulary of the ordinary citizen with a so-called and still a little-used term "starosta".

Abstaining from legal details, this is a person entitled with a list of certain powers and representing the interests of the peasants in the local government.

Besides, starosta takes part in the control over landscaping, use of communally owned facilities located on the territory of his/her district, and works on replenishing the hromada budget together with active citizens. Therefore, the hromada cannot be successful if starostas’ districts work inefficiently.

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