The decentralisation reform has been implemented in Ukraine since 2014. More than 800 amalgamated hromadas are already benefiting from it. At the same time, this reform, supported by the President and the Government, is deliberately slowed down. This is what happens in the Borodyanka Rayon of the Kyiv Oblast, according to the activists from the village of Klavdiyevo-Tarasovo.

The situation was discussed at the press conference held in Ukrinform, reports the news agency’s correspondent.

"From the very beginning of the decentralisation reform, the leaders of our village have been trying to block it. We see the benefits this reform brings to AHs across the country: hromadas are developing, receiving funds, creating a truly comfortable living space for themselves. Unfortunately, our village has another situation, and we are running in place,” said Andriy Volovyk, founder of the NGO “Opora Hromady”.

Andriy Volovyk

According to the settlement deputy Rosalia Marchenko, hromada representatives and the settlement council have repeatedly appealed to the head of Klavdiyevo-Tarasovo with the requirement to issue an order on conducting public hearings. 

Rosalia Marchenko

Trying to influence the head, the hromada registered letters to the President of Ukraine, Presidential Administration, MP Yaroslav Moskalenko, and collective appeals to the Kyiv Oblast State Administration. In the end, under the pressure of citizens who came to the settlement council sessions, Skyba promised to issue a public hearing order after the Day of the Settlement, on 15 September. This was recorded in the video, but the promise was not kept.

Later, another date was assigned – 26 January 2019. That order was not published again. The tension was growing in the settlement, and finally the head gave up and appointed public hearings.

On 23 February at 12.00 three options had to be considered in the premises of the cultural club of the Klavdiyevo-Tarasovo secondary school: accession to one of the nearest hromadas – Borodyanska or Buchanska – or formation of the Mykulytska AH.

NGO “Opora Hromady” took over an informational campaign, involving non-indifferent residents: they told local residents about the prospects ofamalgamatio, distributed invitations to the public hearing. Almost all residents were informed that the three above-mentioned proposals would be discussed.

But on 23 February, it turned out that the settlement head issued a new order on the eve of the day: to discuss and vote on only the proposal of amalgamation with the Mykulytska AH. According to him, he did it following “people’s request”.

However, according to the press conference participants, it was not the last violation encountered.

Local resident Maria Pavlushko told that she had come to the hearings with her family, that was supposed to begin at noon. But the doors of the club, where the meeting was to be held, were opened only, when a bus with unknown athletically built young men arrived. However, all interested residents still could not get to the premises, since not more than 100-150 people could fit into the room.

Maria Pavlushko

The meeting did not begin in accordance with the procedure, activists say. Most of the attendees were not registered, the settlement head appointed the chairman and secretary himself, saying that they were elected “unanimously”. In fact, the video recorded only two or three persons voting. Dismayed people left the hall. Those disappointed went home. Those, who tried to return to the hall, were warded off by security guards.

A voting was conducted among the participants of the meeting: 244 participants supported amalgamation with Mykulychi and Nemishayeve. At the same time, the NGO “Opora Hromady” conducted a sociological survey near the club, taking into account only the votes of people, registered as Klavdiyevo-Tarasovo residents: about 400 settlement residents voted for amalgamation with the Buchanska AH.

"The issue is not that we do not support amalgamation with the Mykulytska AH. The issue is that we were deprived of choice,” Mr Volovyk said.

Therefore, the hromada now seeks to recognise the decision made at the hearings invalid.

Оксана Туряк

The activists also say that at the meeting the hromada was subject to pressure from Serhiy Fedorchenko, deputy of the Kyiv Oblast Council. He supervised the actions of the settlement head, interfered in the meeting, voted in the discussions.

Andrii Kuprash

 

By slowing down decision on the future of the Klavdiyevo-Tarasovo settlmenet and the village of Poroskoten, Mykhailo Skyba tries to keep his post, believes Andrii Kuprash, head of Babyntsi settlement. He describes the actions of his colleague during the public hearings as “unlawful” and “underhanded”.

As emphasised at a press conference, Klavdiyevo-Tarasovo residents want to independently decide on the future of their settlement and require the leadership to focus not on their own whims, but on public opinion.

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