The all-Ukrainian information campaign “I Am Hromada” with the support of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme came to the south of the Donetsk Oblast to accelerate the decentralisation process in those rayons with no AHs formed so far. A team of the Donetsk Local Government Development Centre of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme joined the events.

Panel discussion in Nikolske

According to the Perspective Plan for the Formation of Hromadas of the Donetsk Oblast in the Nikolske Rayon, two amalgamated hromadas – the Nikolska and Kalchytska AHs – can be established there. The rayon and local authorities are aware it’s high time to move forward, hold discussions, meeting of working groups and amalgamate in hromadas. This issue was covered during the public discussion in Nikolske within the framework of the information campaign “I Am Hromada” attended by the village and settlement leaders, rayon heads and representatives of the Donetsk LGDC.

Serhii Ivakhnin, director of the Donetsk LGDC, got the participants acquainted with the general picture of the course of reforms in the Donetsk Oblast.

The participants of the information campaign “I Am Hromada” talked about the significant benefits of life in an AH, provided examples of successful AH practices in providing administrative, social and other services, opportunities to receive donors’ support, increase local budgets through revenues and state subventions.

"The decentralisation process in the Nikolske Rayon has to be re-launched," said Vasyl Mitko, head of the Nikolske Rayon Council. “Local councils need to make decisions to form AHs by 2020. The process is irreversible, and everyone understands it. It is necessary to engage in hromadas’ development, and not to pay attention to political differences. Rayon councils, rayon state administrations are unnecessary in the current format, development issues should be addressed by the hromada itself.”

Quest for children, and useful information on the reform for adults

The next destination point of the "I Am Hromada" campaign was Manhush – administrative centre of the Manhush Rayon, that also has no AHs formed so far. According to the existing Perspective Plan the Manhush Rayon should have the Mangushska settlement AH established, and the villages of Berdyanske and Pokrovske should enter the Mariupolska urban AH.

"I Am Hromada" brought a Decentralisation Town to Manhush. In spite of the hot weather, about 180 people took part in the quest. Adults came with their children, and while the kids were having fun and receiving prizes, their parents had the opportunity to learn about the reform.

Future depends on active youth

At the end of its journey to the Donetsk Oblast, the "I Am Hromada" bus visited Pokrovsk, where the Decentralisation Town was also set up. There is still no AH in the Pokrovsk Rayon, mainly because of the lack of unity and understanding of the amalgamation format. According to the Perspective Plan, the Pokrovska urban, Myrnohradska urban, Udachnenska settlement AHs are to be formed in the rayon.

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