The first elections held in three amalgamated hromadas (the Avanhardivska rural settlement, Dalnytska village and Mayakivska village of Bilyayivka rayon, which included Nadlymanske village) on 29 October 2017 became the actual beginning of the decentralisation process in Ovidiopol rayon of the Odesa Oblast. We discussed their results and consequences with Yuliya Molodozhen, director of the Odesa separate subdivision of the Local Government Development Centre, established with the support of the U-LEAD with Europe programme and MinRegion of Ukraine, Doctor of Public Administration and territorial planning expert.

“Everyone seeks to join the analysis of the most substantial first elections held in 201 AHs on 29 October 2017: sociologists, political scientists, heads of political parties. Besides, each of them is anticipating the upcoming parliamentary and presidential election race and tries to take advantage of the situation, and if you add the percentage that, according to the leaders, their parties have won, the figure may exceed 100%. Leaving emotions aside, how do you, Ms Yuliya, evaluate the 29 October results as a public administration expert?

“Indeed, the elections to the amalgamated hromadas in 2017 are under precise attention, since they are significantly different from the elections of previous years. When the first AH elections took place in 2015, not a single political party declared that its candidate had been elected. At that time, nobody wanted to take responsibility, because they were not sure of the positive results. Within the context of the slogans like “the reform will fail”, “everything will be canceled in a year”, “the state will not fulfill its promises again”, the responsibility was taken only by the candidates for the AH heads. A year has passed, and the 2016 elections have already shown a certain interest of the parties, and 2017 has demonstrated the competition of political forces, some of which, as in previous years are still “against the reform”.

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