On 6 December, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko signed a Decree “On additional measures to ensure the reforms of decentralisation of power”.

The Decree states:

In order to deepen and successfully carry out structural reforms on decentralisation of power, strengthen the capacity and efficiency of local self-government and complete the process of hromadas’ amalgamation, remove sporadicity in implementing the regional development policy, introduce additional mechanisms for accelerating the socio-economic development of Ukraine, I hereby resolve:

1. To recognise the necessity of urgent consolidation of efforts to determine the principles of the administrative-territorial structure of Ukraine on the principles of unity and integrity of the state territory, combination of centralisation and decentralisation in the exercise of state power, balance and socio-economic development of the regions, with due account of the basic principles of local self-government.

2. For the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to ensure:

• drafting and submit to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine a draft law on improvement of legislation on local elections in connection with the formation of amalgamated hromadas;
• taking measures in order to provide state support to complete the formation and establishment of capable hromadas throughout the territory of Ukraine by 2020, in accordance with the established procedure;
• strengthening of hromadas’ capacity and promotion of rural areas’ development, in particular by increasing the amount of financial support to local self-government bodies for implementation of the educational reform, including modernisation of the network of hub schools, purchase of school buses, connection of educational institutions to high-speed Internet.

3. For the oblast, Kyiv city state administrations to ensure the development and approval of perspective plans for the development of the respective oblasts, the city of Kyiv for 2019-2021, taking into account the innovative potential of the regions, competitive advantages and strategic vision of their development, results of the reforms of decentralisation of power, amalgamation of hromadas and their financial capability, as well as the reforms in the educational and healthcare sectors, in particular the development of inclusive education and medical care in rural areas, and infrastructural changes.

4. To recommend local self-government bodies to develop and approve perspective plans for the development of respective cities, urban-type settlements and villages for 2019-2021, taking into account regional development strategies, local priorities identified by the hromadas.

The Decree comes into force from the day of its publication.