V. Hroisman: Countries with strong local self-government are developed and successful

The importance of immediate adoption by the Ukrainian parliament a draft law "On cooperation of local communities" has been discussed today at a roundtable organized by the Parliamentary Committee on State Building and Local Government with the participation of representatives of the Government, Parliament, Administration of the President of Ukraine, local self-government and associations, the Council of Europe as well as experts.

The law is committed to give impetus to strengthening the capacity of local communities - cities, towns and villages - to decide on their needs. It provides the cooperation of financial, organizational and administrative resources of the community to solve common problems of social and economic development - in particular, the implementation of joint infrastructure projects.

Presenting the bill, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine - Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utilities Volodymyr Hroisman noted that local governments need to provide modern tools to enable them to fully carry out the functions as it is today in developed countries. "We see that countries with strong local self–government are developed and successful," the Vice Prime Minister said.

Roundtable participants have come to the common conclusion that this law will encourage economic development of local communities. "This is a tool that will enable to use community resources better, more efficiently, more transparently," believes Natalia Romanova, President of the Chamber of Regions Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe

"The bill will not replace us constitutional changes, but will enable communities to become stronger," believes Anatoliy Tkachuk, Director on research and development of the Civil Society Institute, Expert of the Council of Europe.

During the discussion, the roundtable participants expressed their opinion on the need for the bill adoption in the first reading with the possibility of its improvement between the first and second readings.