From today, there has started the selection of amalgamated territorial communities in Ukraine which would obtain a complex support for their establishment and development from the DOBRE project (Decentralization Offering Better Results and Efficiency) funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Manager of the DOBRE programme Barry Reed informed about that in Kyiv at a press-conference.

According to him, the project is anticipated to continue for five years and its cost totals 50 million US dollars.

In total, 75 amalgamated territorial communities from seven Ukrainian Oblasts (Regions) will be able to participate in the project, specifically Dnipropetrovsk, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Kirovohrad, Mykolayiv, and Kherson Oblasts.

Today, according to Barry Reed, the selection of the first 25 communities has started. It is planned to complete such selection by the end of September. The project will inform in advance about the phases of selection of the remaining 50 communities.

"By concentrating resources on 75 communities, it is easier to implement effective models of amalgamated communities which will become the success stories for others. Those communities may become tutors for others. We will be working with the local self-government on how to plan, make efficient decisions, which services are the most important for the population, and how those services may be materially improved. Also, we will be working on the improvement of the budgeting and administration system. All those efforts will help to support the economic development and stability in communities", Barry Reed said.

Representatives of the DOBRE project will tell in detail to all interested communities how the communities of the said Oblasts may become participants in the project. For this purpose, the project arranges for special thematic meetings in each of the seven Oblasts. 

The All-Ukrainian Association of Village and Town Councils has become a partner of the DOBRE project.

Earlier, First Deputy Minister of the Regional Development, Construction, and Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine Viacheslav Nehoda said that, due to the international experience and support, the amalgamated communities would have to finally get rid of the Soviet psychology and gain the experience of how independently take care of their future, make complex decisions, and be prepared to have responsibility for such decisions.