As of 30 August, the Commission at the Ministry of Regional Development approved 1,219 applications for the implementation of infrastructure projects in the amalgamated territorial communities, which projects are to be funded for the account of the relevant government grant. The total cost of the approved projects is UAH 1,005 billion or 67% of the amount of the government grant allocated for the development of infrastructure in the ATCs for 2017.

Out of the 366 amalgamated territorial communities that will receive the infrastructure government grant, the applications were filed by 259 communities.

According to the Ministry of Regional Development, more than half of the government grant funds have not yet been allocated by the ATCs in Mykolayiv (75% remainder), Odesa (60% remainder), and Rivne (53% remainder) Oblasts (Regions).

The amalgamated communities in Kyiv Oblast have not filed any applications so far. The state allocated more than UAH 6 million in the form of a government grant for the development of infrastructure in those communities.

"More than one hundred communities (please find the list HERE) have failed to file applications to the Commission for the projects they intend to implement for the account of the government grant. We may just assume what is the reason of such situation. If the community lacks qualified personnel able to prepare the application and, consequently, the project in a proper manner, then there is, first of all, special training provided in each Oblast. Secondly, the Centres of Local Self-Government Development should and do provide assistance to the communities in preparation of the necessary documents. I doubt that any of the Oblast State Administrations could have denied providing assistance when a community applied to it with such request. After all, they may apply to the Central Office for Reforms at the Ministry of Regional Development for advice. That is to say, there are no obstacles for the communities to have prepared and implement projects that are important for them, for the account of the government grant. Then, what conclusion is likely to be drawn? That the said one hundred communities need no those funds. I should say, in view of such circumstances, that it would be hard to prove, for example, for the Ministry of Finance and the Parliament that the amalgamated communities need a financial support on the part of the state", First Deputy Minister of Regional Development, Construction and Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine  Viacheslav Nehoda commented.

He noted that, on the instructions given by Vice-Prime Minister - Minister of Regional Development, Construction, and Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine Hennadii Zubko, the Central Office for Reforms was working with each community that failed to prepare the relevant infrastructure projects in order to provide assistance to them.

"The Central Office for Reforms and the Centres of Local Self-Government Development and experts from the Ministry of Regional Development are assisting in the solution of that task. The Ministry of Regional Development anticipates that the all-Ukrainian associations of local self-government bodies and their regional departments will be able to join in with the provision of the relevant assistance more energetically. Indeed, nobody can make anyone take the allocated government funds and use them efficiently if somebody does not want to do so. It is still harder to understand such inactive position of council heads in the ATCs in the context of their accountability to their electors. And we will subsequently have to make decisions and review the procedure for providing government financial support to the amalgamated communities", Вiacheslav Nehoda added.

As it was reported, the state provides assistance to the amalgamated territorial communities, specifically, in the matters of reconstruction and development of infrastructure in their territories. In this connection, UAH 1.5 billion is allocated for this purpose in the State Budget for 2017. Those funds will be channelled for the development of infrastructure in the 366 amalgamated communities established in 2015-2016.

The matter of providing a government grant from the state budget to local budgets for the formation of infrastructure in the amalgamated communities is regulated by Resolution No. 200 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, dated 16 March 2016