123 amalgamated hromadas (AHs) are waiting for the Central Election Commission to appoint the first elections of the local heads of hromadas and deputies of the local councils. These AHs comprise 514 hromadas with 1.021 million residents which are ruled by village, settlement and town councils. Elections are also still pending for 318 thousand residents in 55 hromadas which joined 37 previously established AHs.

“It is crucial to conduct the elections in these hromadas before the end of the year and as soon as possible. The new hromadas are eager to be included into the state budget arrangements for 2019 and to launch their direct budgetary relations with the state starting from January 1. But this can’t be done without the local elections. Local leaders who initiated amalgamation processes promised the residents of their hromadas that changes would come along with amalgamation giving them more powers and resources. But now they are losing their reputation, because they are forced to explain to the people why the promised elections have not been conducted yet”, said Vyacheslav Nehoda, Deputy Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine.

He also stressed:

“The state established conditions for the amalgamation of hromadas and for their development, and nobody shall hinder them in doing this. I hope that all of us will be smart enough not to deprive people of their chance for a better life. If we appoint elections in the amalgamated hromadas, we will confirm our real commitment to the development of local self-government. The Central Election Commission has already proven that it can cancel its wrong decisions – for instance, its Decree No. 122 of August 16, 2018. Hence, it can also review its resolution No. 122 of August 9, 2018 on the request to the Parliament’s committee for legal policy and justice and assign elections in the AHs.”

As previously reported, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said during the special meeting with the senior officials of the Central Election Commission and the Ministry of Justice that there were no direct legal hurdles in place for the local election process.

The Central Election Commission found reasons not to assign the elections in AHs for October this year, but they still can take place in November or in December.

More comments on the situation with the elections in AHs are available HERE.