Interview with Roman Kizyma, Executive Director of the Association of Local Governments ‘Lviv Agglomeration’

In October, the Lviv region hosted a peer-to-peer exchange visit organised within the framework of the Council of Europe’s project ‘Strengthening multilevel governance and local democracy to support Ukraine's recovery’ in cooperation with the Association ‘Lviv Agglomeration’.

Representatives of communities from six regions of Ukraine learned about the metropolitan governance model, inter-municipal cooperation practices, and joint projects implemented within the Lviv Agglomeration.

Roman Kizyma, Executive Director of the Association, spoke about Lviv’s experience and the specifics of the agglomeration’s work, as well as the prospects for developing similar initiatives in Ukraine.

– Mr Kizyma, what were your impressions of the visit? How will it contribute to the development of agglomeration cooperation in our country?

– This is a very relevant format. It is not just about agglomerations or other voluntary inter-municipal associations; we are showing how they work in practice. For many regions and communities, this is their first experience of seeing how joint projects are coordinated, how decisions are made and how communities reach agreements with each other.

This visit is important for us in the Lviv region because the Lviv Agglomeration has proven through its activities that it can set an example for the rest of Ukraine.

– What opportunities has the formation of the Lviv Agglomeration created?

– It is a unique experience. It opens up new possibilities for communication and interaction between neighbouring communities, providing new opportunities for sharing experiences and supporting one another. It also creates new opportunities for representing community interests at an international level and attracting investment.

We are already cooperating with European partners and implementing grants that previously seemed unrealistic.

This is not just work – it gives you pleasure, too. After all, when you see communities starting to talk to each other in the language of partnership rather than competition, that is a tangible result.

– How was the Lviv Agglomeration formed?

– We started practically from scratch. Initially, we had to explain that an agglomeration is neither a political structure nor another bureaucratic superstructure. Rather, it is a voluntary association of communities that join forces to address common issues.

The initial discussions were very difficult. However, trust began to grow when concrete initiatives emerged in areas such as transport, waste management, and recreation. People began to see results.

The key was the work on the Lviv Agglomeration Development Strategy until 2027. For almost two years, 18 communities worked in seven working groups on various areas of life, developing possible joint mechanisms for future cooperation. Based on this Strategy, we established the Association of Local Governments ‘Lviv Agglomeration’, an institution that coordinates work on various topics relevant to communities in the region, such as mobility, spatial planning, and waste management. Today, the Lviv Agglomeration is a genuine platform for cooperation.

– You mentioned waste management as one of the key areas. Why is that?

– Because it is one of the most challenging issues for small communities. Not only is waste management unprofitable, it is also complex in terms of organisation and administration.

For example, small-scale plastic waste collection is not economically viable. Therefore, a joint approach and inter-municipal projects are needed. With the support of the Council of Europe, we are currently developing a comprehensive waste management plan for the Lviv Agglomeration.

Communities are willing to delegate some of their powers to Lviv, but this requires the establishment of a clear cooperation model. This is exactly what we are currently working on.

– What other joint initiatives is the Lviv Agglomeration currently working on?

– One of the most important areas is mobility. We are developing an integrated transport plan for the whole agglomeration. There are also several environmental and tourism projects. One example is the Sponge City project, which aims to restore peatlands in the communities surrounding Lviv. This project is beneficial both environmentally and economically, as it creates new opportunities for regional development.

Additionally, the Agglomeration is working on joint grant applications. I am happy to report that we have already started successfully winning and implementing international projects.

– What role does the Council of Europe play in the development of the Agglomeration?

– Without the support of the Council of Europe, we would not have achieved what we have today. From the start, the Council of Europe’s Centre of Expertise on Multilevel Governance has helped us create an agglomeration that meets the highest European standards and practices.

We collaborated with them on creating the Agglomeration. They are now helping us with training, expertise and strategic planning. Together, we have conducted several sociological studies and developed the Lviv Agglomeration Development Strategy until 2027, which I mentioned earlier. We are now actually a pilot model of metropolitan governance for Ukraine.

– Why is the development of agglomerations important not only for regions, but for the country as a whole?

– This is a matter of national importance. We are already experiencing depopulation, with people moving to large cities. Half of Ukraine’s population lives in seven or eight metropolitan areas and their surrounding areas.

This needs to be acknowledged and turned into a tool for development.

The state must formulate policies that strengthen strong territories, including the creation of agglomerations and other functional territories, so that weaker territories can receive support from stronger ones.

We believe that metropolises and urban agglomerations should be the growth drivers in Ukraine, enabling both individual communities and the country as a whole to develop effectively.

– What is your vision for the next steps for the Lviv agglomeration?

– We need to continue strengthening the team, developing project activities and attracting additional resources. At the same time, we must share our experience with other regions.

I am convinced that, once other communities can clearly see how this works in practice, they will also want to create their own agglomerations. This is a natural process. There is no politics involved – only a desire to develop together.

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This material was created by the Council of Europe project ‘Strengthening multilevel governance and local democracy to support Ukraine’s recovery’, which is implemented as part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine ‘Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction’ for 2023–2026 by the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.