The issue of boundaries between communities is arising in different regions of the country. However, according to Vitalii Bezgin, Minister for Communities, Territories and Internally Displaced Persons, decisions on establishing or altering city boundaries fall within the remit of the Verkhovna Rada. Vitalii Bezgin reported that the Ministry has several dozen cases concerning territorial disputes.

Vitalii Bezgin talked about this in an interview with “18000” during a working visit to Cherkasy region.

The cases include conflicts between regional centres and neighbouring communities, attempts to expand city boundaries, as well as instances where decisions of the Verkhovna Rada are replaced by those of district or regional councils.

As Vitalii Bezgin explained, when it comes to establishing or altering city boundaries, the relevant decision falls within the remit of the legislature. Therefore, other decisions adopted to replace it do not alter city boundaries and do not resolve the issue at its core.

Vitalii Bezgin observed that the state had not made sufficient progress in establishing the real boundaries and digitising this process. According to the Minister, prior to the full-scale invasion, it had not been possible to fully resolve the issue of boundaries on the ground.

The Minister does not believe that the possible amalgamation of communities will automatically put an end to disputes. In his view, conflicts may arise over the new boundaries between communities. Vitalii Bezgin described the struggle for territory, resources, and development potential as inherent to local self-government in a democratic country.

Some issues that have arisen due to gaps in the legislation can be resolved, and this, according to Vitalii Bezgin, is also a task for the Ministry. He hopes that this work can be completed in the first few years after the war ends.

The possibility of working on setting boundaries also depends on the situation in a particular part of the country. Vitalii Bezgin stated that in the relatively safe rear regions, in the central and western regions, such work could be done even now. However, near the front line, this is problematic, particularly due to the difficulty of obtaining relevant data.

Vitalii Bezgin described attempts to replace decisions of the Verkhovna Rada with those of other councils as ‘local politics’ and noted that they would yield no practical results. According to the Minister, settling boundaries on the ground requires reliable data and due consideration of the security situation.