On 18 November, the Administrative Service Centre modernised with the support of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme was opened in the town of Chortkiv of the Ternopil Oblast. Now, 213 single-window services, including all local services, can be obtained at the Chortkiv ASC. By the end of the year, the ASC will start issuing foreign passports, driver's licenses, and services in registering civil status acts will be also provided here. The Ternopil Oblast State Administration helped with the purchase of equipment for issuing passports and driver's licenses to the hromada.

 

 

Ihor Sopel, head of the Ternopil Oblast State Administration, took part in the ASC opening, “Chortkiv ASC is a third one, opened in the oblast in partnership with the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, and I am grateful to our international partners for their support and assistance in establishing the quality system for providing administrative services. We are working with hromadas a lot to ensure every resident of the Ternopil Oblast to have access to quality services in the format of "single window", as it should be in a modern European country. Now, another 15 bodies of local self-government in our region are participants of the Programme and are preparing for opening proper ASCs and remote working places of administrators. I want to emphasize once more that they always can count on the support of the oblast administration in implementing their intentions.”

 

 

12 workplaces – 11 seats for ASC employees and a place for self-service – are equipped in the Centre with the support of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme. Prior to the modernisation of the ASC, six administrators provided 145 services. The city authorities made major repairs of the premises, and ASC became available for people with disabilities and visitors with baby carriages. A parking zone for cars and bicycles appeared near the Centre. There is also a Wi -Fi zone, together with a possibility to pay for services in the ASC with a card.

 

 

Olha Kalinichenko, Regional Coordinator of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, welcomed the hromada with the opening of the upgraded ASC, "I well remember our first meeting with the head of the hromada when he eagerly wanted to modernise ASC. His enthusiasm and active position, his willingness to actively cooperate with the ASC team, in my opinion, are the main factors led to the situation when today we are opening a new centre, which meets European standards of quality service delivery. The Chortkiv ASC really became a service institution, and residents will not run by different agencies for inquiries or stand in queues in tight corridors any more.”

 

 

All employees of the Centre received trainings to improve their skills developed by Ukrainian, Swedish and Estonian experts of the Programme. The ASC has a software package for the “Vulyk” work automation developed by the EGOV4UKRAINE Project within the framework of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme.

 

 

Volodymyr Shmatko, Mayor of Chortkiv, thanked partners for their support, "We are grateful to the U-LEAD with Europe Programme for the complex and professional assistance in the modernisation of ASCs. Now our people will receive much more administrative services in the same premises and in the comfortable conditions, and ASC employees have significantly increased their professional knowledge and skills. I am sure that citizens will notice the new quality of services from the state”.

Three proper ASCs were opened with the support of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme in the Ternopil Oblast. By the end of the year, five more appropriate Administrative Service Centres will be opened with the support of the Programme in the oblast.