MinRegion is concerned about the situation prevailing in the territory of the Novodnistrovska urban amalgamated hromada.

The Ministry immediately responded to a letter from the Novodnistrovsk City Council, that depicts facts possibly indicating a flagrant violation of Ukrainian legislation by a group of individuals. MinRegion has already sent a letter to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, in which it proposes to instruct the Chernivtsi Oblast State Administration to verify the facts of unlawful actions on the territory of the Sokyryany Rayon and Novodnistrovska AH, and, if confirmed, to instruct the Oblast State Administration to prepare a draft submission of the Prime Minister of Ukraine on termination of authority of the head of the Sokyryany Rayon State Administration.

The Ministry briefed on the situation in the abovementioned hromada. In September 2018, all formal procedures envisaged by the current legislation were completed for accession of the Lomachyntsi Village Council to the city of oblast significance of Novodnistrovsk. Thus, in September, the Novodnistrovska urban AH was formed (the current legislation does not provide for the holding of the first local elections in such an AH). As a result, the powers of the Lomachyntsi village head and village council were terminated, and the powers of the Novodnistrovsk city mayor and city council extend to the entire AH territory. The Novodnistrovsk City Council is also the legal successor of the property, rights and responsibilities of the Lomachyntsi Village Council.

However, based on the official reports of the Novodnistrovsk City Council, illegal actions of the group of people are unfolding on the territory of the Novodnistrovska AH: they openly organised and conducted “pseudo-elections” of deputies of the Lomachyntsi Village Council, at a so-called “pseudo-session” elected a so-called secretary of the council and a so-called executive committee, and “made a decision” on manufacturing of seals and stamps of the Lomachyntsi Village Council. It is reported that this group of people was planning to seize an administrative building in the village.

Every day, the situation is aggravating and, according to the Novodnistrovsk City Council, poses a threat to public order and safety of the residents of the rayon and the Novodnistrovska hromada.

The Ministry also informs that MinRegion has repeatedly received orders from the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on the appeal of MPs of Ukraine regarding the unlawful actions of officials of the Sokyryany Raon Council and Sokyryany Rayon State Administration in the process of implementation of the Law of Ukraine “On Voluntary Amalgamation of Hromadas”. However, the Chernivtsi Oblast State Administration did not take any real action to prevent the conflict and take into account the opinion of hromadas’ residents that led to the current situation.