Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman urged the Central Election Commission to reconsider its decision and find the opportunity to appoint elections in AHs.

“The CEC has recently taken a decision that made the October elections in newly formed amalgamated hromadas impossible. This decision creates a risk of slowdown of decentralisation, which today is one of the most successful and demanded reforms,” wrote Volodymyr Groysman on his Facebook page.

“For the sake of decentralisation, I came to work in the Government in 2014, because I was and I am still convinced that decentralisation is a way to create high-quality living standards in every city and village of Ukraine,” the Prime Minister noted.

According to him, more than 6 million Ukrainians – residents of AHs, who received the powers, resources, and, therefore, the ability to develop their territory and improve their well-being, have already assured themselves in the effectiveness of this reform.

Volodymyr Groysman also stressed the importance of voluntary amalgamation of hromadas. “This is a voluntary process, an initiative from the bottom. I believe that it is unacceptable to impede the aspirations of citizens willing to go along this path, and create additional barriers on their way. Therefore, I urge the Central Election Commission to reconsider its decision and find the opportunity to facilitate the holding of elections in those hromadas, where they were planned. Decentralisation cannot be stopped!” noted the Prime Minister.