The Ministry of Finance and Regional Policy of Poland hosted a meeting of representatives of municipalities cooperating with the Ukrainian cities, with the participation of Secretary of State Malgorzata Jaroszynska-Jedynak and Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine Vyacheslav Nehoda.

The meeting was organized by the Association of Polish Cities.

“Poland is in full solidarity with Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. We have already received more than 3.5 million refugees. We create comprehensive legal solutions. They enable Ukrainians to effectively integrate and provide access to the civil service system in our country,” said Deputy Minister Malgorzata Jaroszynska-Jedynak.

She noted that Poland welcomes the application of the Government of Ukraine for membership in the European Union and expects that the European Commission will decide to grant Ukraine the status of a candidate country for the EU.

From the first hours of the war in Ukraine, Poland and the Polish people were the first to come to help Ukraine and its people.

“We appreciate the support provided by Poland. It is sincere. Speaking to the Parliament of Ukraine a few days ago, President Andrzej Duda said very aptly: “It is a kind of paradox that such a great evil that the aggressor is committing in Ukraine has created so much good on the other hand. I believe that this good in this new friendship between millions of Poles and Ukrainians will result in us being good neighbors forever. This is a great historical chance and a great historical shift.” We will definitely win this war, because there is no other way, and we will share our victory with our Polish brothers as well,” said Vyacheslav Nehoda.

He also noted that Ukraine and Poland must already work on how to improve the lives of Ukrainian municipalities after the war and strengthen them economically.

“We also want to support Ukraine in the reconstruction process. The needs in this regard are huge,” said Malgorzata Jaroszynska-Jedynak.

The Deputy Minister of Finance and Regional Policy noted that the development of local self-government and formation of a decentralized model of regional development management are also important challenges for Ukraine.

According to Vyacheslav Nehoda, it was decentralization that Ukraine has been implementing over the past eight years that has strengthened Ukrainian municipalities in terms of authorities, finances and responsibility for their managerial steps.

“If we had not reformed local self-government, and let me remind you that at the beginning we had more than 11,000 small councils without powers and resources, we do not want to assume what would have happened today when Russia attacked Ukraine with weapons. These were the Ukrainian municipalities and their territorial defense that in many cases repulsed the attacks of the Russian army and thus saved themselves, and thus they saved even Kyiv without letting the enemy in. This is what decentralization means, and what it means when municipalities feel responsible for their lives,” said the Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories Development.

According to him, successful experience of local business development and employment is important for Ukrainian municipalities today, so he expressed his hope that the Polish side will be able to share successful practices in this area.

Deputy Minister of Communities and Territories Development Vyacheslav Nehoda also took part in the Conference “Local Government in the Face of Political and Civilizational Challenges” held in Łódź, Poland.