During the Regional Development Council, President Petro Poroshenko stressed that implementation of the decentralisation reform has proved its economic and political efficiency. Therefore it should become irreversible.

"Decentralisation, just as other important reforms, which we are going to discuss here today, should become irreversible. You cannot give anyone even a little chance of revenge. Four years of gradual implementation have proved its economic and political efficiency for hromadas and citizens," the Head of State emphasised.

"Its efficiency once again convinces us that we will pass a successful European Ukraine to the next generation of Ukrainians. This will happen if we do not give up the country to revanchists, populists who will attack the country in the electoral cycle of 2019-2020. But I am sure that wise Ukrainian people will make a responsible choice that will guarantee the sustainable development of territories and hromadas," the President added.

According to him, changes started in 2014, because the presidential election programme envisaged decentralisation as one of the key elements. The Head of State stressed that decentralisation is not only the reallocation of money to the ground, meeting the urgent needs of hromadas, but also the adoption of political and power decisions, as well as clear division of responsibilities between the central and local authorities.

"The state has provided various mechanisms for stimulating the revival of regions, ranging from fiscal instrument to the right of a simplified amalgamation around cities of oblast significance and intermunicipal cooperation," the President emphasised.