Successful managers who implement the best practices in local self-government are present here today. First and foremost, you should remember that each project implemented by you and each efficient practice have to be directed towards human potential development in the regions. This will give you the opportunity to show the prospect of high-quality life through the introduction of the best practices, as well as indulge young people in hromada’s management processes.

Hennadii Zubko, Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine, emphasised this addressing the winners of the competition called “Best Practices of Local Self-Government in 2017”.  

“The development of human potential in the regions is a very important issue in view of local elections, elections in AHs or accession to hromadas. Decentralisation brought not only the transfer of powers and resources. Leadership decentralisation has taken place in Ukraine as well. Today, there are a lot of local leaders who take responsibility, implement projects and attract young forward-looking people. Therefore, all the best practices implemented in hromadas and the best infrastructure projects should be aimed at increasing human potential,” said Hennadii Zubko.

According to him, the investor comes for the human potential, and investment in hromada increases taxes and personal revenues, expands opportunities and introduces new projects.

The Vice Prime Minister noted that the value of successful practices is equally significant in the framework of sectoral decentralisation. “Our hromadas are in acute need of verified decisions on establishment of Administrative Service Centres, new educational space, formation of a primary healthcare network, and organisation of waste collection. MinRegion is maximally supporting hromadas’ commitment to practical results and project management. We will continue to generate reform and increase its pace,” the official said.

It is worth reminding that since 2014, MinRegion has been conducting annual competition called “Best Practices of Local Self-Government”. Over the past four years 108 practices have been recognised as the best ones. This year, the projects were implemented in the areas of “Transparency and accountability of local self-government”, “Regions and hromadas’ development practices based on their own strategies and resources”, and “Cooperation of hromadas”. 10 out of 29 finalists are the village, rural settlement and town councils of amalgamated hromadas.

In a short time after the fateful decision to amalgamate, they have made a tangible step forward on the path of radical changes in the issues of development and welfare of people.

In general, over the last four years, the highest percentage of successful practices out of the number of applications submitted to the competition was observed in the Chernihiv (38%), Volyn (36%), and Ivano-Frankivsk (35%) Oblasts.