President Petro Poroshenko signed the Law of Ukraine "On Amendments to the Law "On Voluntary Amalgamation of Hromadas" on voluntary accession of hromadas of villages and settlements to hromadas of cities of oblast significance" (draft law No 6466). Hromadas of cities of oblast significance, that started moving towards AH formation, have long waited for this law.

Ihor Matviychuk, Kalush City Mayor:

This law will allow us to make a step forward in our development, establishing a large, powerful hromada. There are already several small hromadas in the rayon, but frankly speaking, I do not see the prospects for their development. Instead, amalgamation with Kalush will allow rural hromadas not only to significantly improve their own infrastructure, but also to apply for grants from various foreign organisations. If the neighbouring villages we addressed with amalgamation proposal agree to it, we will be able to apply to other villages. The advantages of accession to Kalush are obvious: creation of new workplaces, investment attraction, and implementation of large infrastructure projects. Besides, I believe that amalgamation will enable us to create large agro-industrial enterprises on the territory of the Kalush Rayon.

Larysa Torzhynska, Secretary of Voznesenk City Council:

Unfortunately, this law appeared too late: Voznesensk was literally in the ring of AHs with far not all of them being capable. We managed to persuade only the Novohryhorivka village council, which residents from the very beginning expressed their desire to amalgamate with our city. We have passed all the necessary procedures, we have a positive conclusion of the Mykolayiv Oblast Administration. According to the current legislation, we do not need to pass through new elections. However, at the moment, we do not understand what, in fact, we have to do, at least, to proclaim the formation of the Voznesenska AH, with the Novohryhorivka village council as its part. Thus, we look forward to the methodical recommendations from Kyiv. Novohryhorivka and Voznesensk, are located near the highway, so we have a lot of plans for our joint development.

Oleksiy Kaspruk, Chernivtsi City Mayor:

Unfortunately, the deputies of the city council did not vote for accession of neighbouring villages to Chernivtsi. Now, after introducing amendments to the Law "On voluntary Amalgamation", we will put this issue to vote again. We have applications from two village councils for accession to the city, and in my viewpoint, such accession would be quite logical. After all, the neighbouring villages are actively using urban infrastructure, the children of the peasants go to Chernivtsi kindergartens, the peasants themselves work mainly in Chernivtsi, use the healthcare services of Chernivtsi hospitals, and so on. Amalgamation will give us the opportunity to legitimise our relations and the opportunity to implement joint large infrastructure projects. Unfortunately, this draft law was adopted a bit late. Thus, for example, the runway of Chernivtsi airport begins on the territory of the city and ends on the territory of the neighbouring AH. Accession of two village councils will allow us to avoid at least part of these problems.