In 2018, the first local elections in Donetsk Oblast took place in one hromada only – Oleksandrivska settlement AH. In December, the elections were pending for the Kryvorizka rural AH. Also, the remaining deputies had to be elected in the Shakhivska rural AH. However, the Central Election Committee postponed these elections for security reasons. Thus, the Donetsk Oblast is meeting the end of 2018 with ten completely formed amalgamated hromadas with seven more AHs waiting for their first elections, which is now challenging for different reasons. Apart from security issues, solutions are required for issues related to the administrative and territorial order, gaps in the legislation and other challenges.

Results of decentralisation in the Donetsk Oblast were on the agenda of the round table in Kramatorsk hosted by the Donetsk Local Government Development Centre (founded with the support of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme and MinRegion). The event was attended by representatives of the Donetsk Oblast State Administration, the department of the State Emergency Service in the Donetsk Oblast, amalgamated as well as separate hromadas and journalists.