The Poltava City Council and the city of Skarżysko-Kamienna (Poland) signed a Twinning Memorandum.

This was announced by Oleksandr Mamai, Mayor of Poltava.

In addition, two more Ukrainian municipalities acquired new sister municipalities.

The Velykyi Bychkiv municipality of the Zakarpattia region, the Opishnia municipality of the Poltava region and Gmina Serock (Poland) signed partnership agreements.

“The signed Agreement opens up new opportunities for our municipality regarding the development of many areas of our municipal life. We will cooperate with our new Polish partners regarding the development of tourism, culture, sports and the exchange of schoolchildren and youth. The Agreement also stipulates cooperation on improving the organisation and functioning of local self-government,” said Oleh Bursa, head of the Velykyi Bychkiv municipality

“Serock is the first but by no means the last. Ukraine will definitely win, and then the recovery process will begin. More and more grant programmes require that Ukrainian municipalities have partner cities in the European Union,” said Mykola Riznyk, head of the Opishnia municipality.

Previously, Viacheslav Nehoda, Deputy Minister for Communities and Territorial Development, urged foreign and Ukrainian municipalities to intensify the process of establishing sisterly relations. “Ukrainian municipalities have been well-trained by the reform of local self-government and are now being hardened by war. They have vast management experience, from the formation under new conditions and the implementation of reform objectives to ensuring the defence of their territories and providing support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. So there is something to learn from them. On the other hand, our municipalities have faced many difficulties caused by the war. Therefore, the support of municipalities internationally is critical,” he said.

In March 2022, the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine initiated the International Marathon of Local Governments aimed at drawing the attention of municipalities around the world to the tragedy of Ukrainian municipalities and boosting the process of establishing sisterly relations. The Marathon brought together more than a thousand municipalities from 35 countries.