The task of the working group on the analysis of problematic issues in mountainous areas is to develop effective tools that will enable the development of mountainous and highland territories, and, therefore, ensure favourable conditions for people living on these territories.

The working group was created on behalf of the Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman. It was headed by Vyacheslav Nehoda, First Deputy Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services. The working group includes representatives of the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, MinRegion, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Social Policy, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Chernivtsi Oblast State Administrations and Oblast Councils, All-Ukrainian Associations of Local Self-Government Bodies, MPs of Ukraine.

On 10 May, the first meeting of the working group took place. The agenda includes the development of proposals in the sphere of economic development of mountainous areas, social security, development of transport infrastructure, healthcare, education, and ecology.

According to Vyacheslav Nehoda, head of the working group, the current state of the mountainous areas does not meet the needs of the population in high-quality social, healthcare, educational, transport services.

"The peculiar terrain makes the territories difficult to access, resulting in low business activity, low investment volumes, high labour migration. It is challenging for mountainous areas to compete with other ones under such conditions. In order to ensure their development, we must jointly develop a policy of sustainable development of the mountainous areas of the Carpathians. These must be specific, effective tools that will enable infrastructure development in such areas, jobs’ creation, encouragement of business entities to gain ground and grow, and implementation of projects that create added value. Such tools should be proposed by the working group for the Government’s consideration," said Vyacheslav Nehoda.

He emphasised that solution of the issue of the mountainous areas’ development is not only the task of the central executive authorities, but also the responsibility of local authorities. However, last year only the Lviv Oblast approved the Strategy for the development of mountainous areas for 2018-2020.

"The rest of the oblasts show no hint of dealing with this issue," added the First Deputy Minister.

According to him, the problems of mountainous territories can be partially overcome by the reform of local self-government and territorial organisation of power, which decentralises powers and financial resources, cooperates human resources and production capacities, creates new opportunities for the development of territories. That is why the regions with mountainous areas should work more actively on the implementation of the tasks on building a new effective system of local self-government.

"When we talk about mountainous areas, then, along with the state policy of decentralisation, there should be a policy of their integration into the country's life," added the head of the working group.

He instructed to hold regional discussions on the development of tools for the development of mountainous areas of the Carpathians, involving all interested parties, within two weeks. After that, the working group will meet at a regular meeting.

It should be mentioned that a meeting on the development of the mountainous areas chaired by the Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman, took place in the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast in March.

Besides, in March, the Government sent a Draft law "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Sustainable Development and Creation of New Workplaces in Mountainous and Highland Settlements" No 8154 for the consideration of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.