On March 27, 2016, ten amalgamated territorial communities of Volyn, Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kirovograd, Lviv, Poltava, Rivne, and Kharkiv oblasts will hold the first elections of deputies of village, settlement, city councils of amalgamated territorial communities, and of respective village, settlement, city council heads. The information comes from the respective decree of the Central electoral commission # 619 of December 25, 2015.

According to the document, electoral process in these communities will start on February 6, 2016.

According to “Annex 1” of the respective CEC decree, the first local elections shall take place in Shatsk settlement ATC of Volyn oblast; Myrove village ATC of Dnipropetrovsk oblast; Kornyn settlement ATC of Zhytomyr oblast; Biloberizka village ATC of Ivano-Frankivsk oblast; Novoukrainka city ATC of Kirovograd oblast; Khodoriv city ATC of Lviv oblast; Novoavramivka village ATC and Artemivka settlement ATC of Poltava oblast; Radyvyliv city ATC of Rivne oblast; Stary Saltiv settlement ATC of Kharkiv oblast.

It should be reminded that on October 25, 2015, the first local elections took place in 159 amalgamated territorial communities. Now they are independently forming their budgets, preparing development programmes for their territories, and investment projects.

According to Vice-prime Minister, Minister of regional development, construction, and housing and communal services of Ukraine, Gennady Zubko, on January 1, 2016, direct budgetary settlement (not involving oblast and raion levels) of 159 amalgamated territorial communities with the state treasurer’s office will be opened. He also noted that the State fund for regional development envisions the allocation of 3 billion UAH in 2016, plus additional 1.95 billion UAH would be allocated for socio-economic development of regions.

Together this amounts to 4.94 billion UAH. Beside that, a subvention of 1 billion UAH for support of infrastructural projects of amalgamated territorial communities is envisioned.