In 2018, 70 regional projects will be launched at the expense of the European Union within the framework of the Ukraine’s Sector Policy Support Programme. These are the first 70 regional start-ups that won the competition in 5 directions: innovative economy and investments, rural development, human potential development, tourism development, all-Ukrainian solidarity. This is an additional direction of powerful state support for the development of hromadas and their infrastructure, informed Hennadii Zubko, Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine, commenting on the adoption of the relevant governmental approval of projects.

He noted that the competition commission, formed with the participation of representatives of various ministries, MPs and the public, considered 507 projects from almost all regions of Ukraine for examination.

Thus, among 70 winning projects, the largest number came from the Lviv Oblast – 12 projects; Khmelnytskyi Oblast – 10; by 1 project in the Mykolayiv, Donetsk, Rivne, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Cherkasy, Luhansk Oblasts, Ministry of Education and Science – 9 projects, by 1 project in the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and MinRegion. The total sum of financing is more than UAH 600 million.

Winners by directions:

• innovative economy and investments – 17 projects;
• rural development – 11 projects;
• human potential development – 18 projects;
• tourism development – 16 projects;
• all-Ukrainian solidarity – 8 projects.

"The most creative and innovative startups include the creation of an innovative cluster “Regional Innovation HUB” (Mykolayiv Oblast); creation of the Carpathian regional development network (Lviv, Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi Oblast); construction of a radio and television transmitting station in the Popasna Rayon of the Luhansk Oblast; development of rural entrepreneurship and infrastructure of the agro-tourist cluster "HorboHory" (Lviv Oblast); development of sports and cultural space at the embankment of the Teteriv River in the city of Zhytomyr," said Hennadii Zubko.

It should be noted that in 2016 the Government signed an agreement No. 1 between the Government of Ukraine and the European Commission, acting on behalf of the European Union, to the Agreement on Financing of the Sectoral Policy Support Programme - Support to Ukraine’s Regional Policy (ENPI/2013/024-517) dated 27 November 2014. This Supplementary Agreement envisage financial support for social, economic and territorial cohesion of Ukraine, as well as welfare of citizens throughout the country and support for the goals set in the State Strategy for Regional Development by 2020.