In the course of the implementation of the local governance and territorial organization of power reform in Ukraine, revenues of local budgets have quadrupled. Currently, the State Budget for 2022 forecasts the amount of local budgets to the tune of UAH 437 billion, which is by UAH 87 billion more than in 2021. This was announced by the Minister of Community and Territorial Development Oleksii Chernyshov during the opening of the International Expert Discussion of the 2021 U-LEAD with Europe Program Partnership for Development.

"I would like to thank our international partners - the U-LEAD Program - for the constant expert, technical and financial support that Ukraine receives in implementing one of the most important reforms for the country - local government reform. Over the past few years, a number of historic decisions have been made in Ukraine to open up new opportunities for sustainable community development. Horizontal links and the implementation of joint projects create the conditions for regional economic development. According to the state budget approved by the Verkhovna Rada, next year the projected volume of local budgets should increase by more than UAH 87 billion as compared to 2021," said Oleksii Chernyshov.

It should be noted that further local governance reform requires constitutional changes. Last week, proposals for the text of amendments to the Basic Law regarding the decentralization of power were published. This document is the result of extensive consultations of authorities with local governments and their associations that have lasted for almost two years.

"Amendments to the Constitution will consolidate the achievements of decentralization and will be the result of a synergy of efforts of all stakeholders who care about local governance. We can state that they will open opportunities for the full completion of the reform of local self-government and local executive bodies," said the Head of the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development.

Earlier, Oleksii Chernyshov said that the ambassadors of the G7 countries had congratulated Ukraine's success in uniting the territorial communities and stressed that this is an example of our state's ability to pursue a policy reforms.