Prime Minister: We engage in implementation of a scenario of strengthening local governance, we must further stick to it

For several years, the Ukrainian Government has been taking a series of systemic steps to strengthen local governance through deep decentralization, which provides new opportunities for managing and developing regions from its bottom level – the level of community. This was stated by Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman during a meeting with representatives of towns and consolidated territorial communities - participants of the All-Ukrainian competition of cultural and art projects "Small Cities - Great Impressions". The contest takes place for the second year in a row, and this year the winners were 74 projects from all over Ukraine to the total sum of UAH 41.3 million.

The Head of Government stressed that similar cultural initiatives appear the result of decentralization as well. Development of the cultural heritage of Ukraine has become possible not only at the level of the Government, but also at the regional level.

At that, today there is a risk of curtailing these processes. "Look, in the fall of 2020, we have to prepare all the communities to consolidation and in October 2020 to hold local elections on a new basis. Then everything will happen - the country will unite, the communities will become sustainable, and we will achieve a bright future", said Volodymyr Groysman. "But what can we hear now? Thoughts about pre-term elections! This (if it happens) is not frightening, but it is systemically wrong. Two thirds of the country will be developing, and one third will live in line with the old system. I can not prehend that."

The Head of Government stressed that he had been and remained a staunch supporter of local governance and, despite all the challenges, will fight to protect the interests of the communities. "We will fight for the interests of the communities. We will fight for the preservation of fiscal decentralization in the budget for 2020 and fight for the removal of barriers (which are often posed by district and regional administrations) to unite people. We will adjust everything", said Volodymyr Groysman. "Decentralization should be enshrined in the Constitution. We will exert every effort when it depends on our team."