The Ustyluzka hromada was one of the first to appear in Volyn. In October 2015, the Ustyluh city council amalgamated with the village councils, establishing an AH. At present, the amalgamated hromada has a strategic plan for the region's development, compiled with the help of the Poles.

Officials say that it is very important for them to attract funds from the European investors.

Svitlana Dubytska, deputy mayor of Ustyluh city, says that more funds began to come to the budget of the newly established AH after amalgamation.

“Huge amounts of money started flowing to our budget after amalgamation. In 2015, the total budget revenue over all councils was 11 million, and in 2016 it amounted to 45 million. This sum includes both own revenues and all subventions. All these funds had to be used effectively. At that time, we were just analysing the real state of our amalgamation and what to do with it. Having no strategy, we tried to use these funds in efficient way. Although we understood that we needed a plan and strategy to work further. Our work should not be chaotic.”

“The executive committee did not have the strategic planning experience. Therefore, the fact that the Ustyluh city council became one of 22 Ukrainian hromadas, that were compiling their development strategy in cooperation with the Poles, was very appropriate. It all became possible within the framework of the Canadian-Polish project. Representatives arrived and the public gathered. In the course of the year we were working together to make this strategy the one we needed.”

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