We are presenting a definite legislative decentralisation route. These are 17 key draft laws, which are the basis for the further development and successful implementation of the decentralisation reform on the ground. This list was supported by the Donor Coordination Board. Besides, Georg Milbradt sent a letter on support of the draft laws to the Prime Minister of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Parliament.

The draft laws were presented at a joint press conference of Hennadii Zubko, Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine, and Georg Milbradt, Special Envoy of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany for the Ukrainian reform in the areas of governance and decentralisation.

“It is precisely the time when we must make a decision and apply to the parliament in order to adopt 17 key draft laws on decentralisation. These are the draft laws worked out by MinRegion together with MPs, local hromadas, civil society and experts. Their adoption will enable strengthening of the decentralisation reform already this year,” said Hennadii Zubko.

According to the Vice Prime Minister, the adoption of key draft laws will strengthen the reform on the ground in the direction of voluntary amalgamation and accession of hromadas, involvement of hromadas in accession to the cities of oblast significance, fostering of introduction of services, additional transfer of powers – land resources, as well as possibilities of planning and strengthening of municipal services opportunities, etc.

Zubko stressed that the draft laws will be presented already in February, during the eighth session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the eighth convocation.

“17 key draft laws have already been registered in the parliament and should be adopted by summer. Everything not supported by the parliament will be automatically transferred to 2021-2022. I do not think that Ukraine has so much time to postpone extremely important reforms. The support that is now coming from the authorities and the parliament will really accelerate the adoption of laws,” said Georg Milbradt, Special Envoy of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany for the Ukrainian reform in the areas of governance and decentralisation.

He invited those present to the session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on 28 February, devoted to the discussion and adoption of the legislative route on decentralisation – out of 17 draft laws.

In turn, Hennadii Zubko thanked the Donor Coordination Board – Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Poland, USA, Canada – all those who joined the active cooperation – for their support of the decentralisation reform. “This is the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, that started to work actively on the reform last year. There are already 24 Local Government Development Centres in Ukraine that help to support and implement the reform. Canadian EDGE project, PULSE project, DOBRE (USA), as well as projects working directly in AHs,” the official said.