Author: Hryhoriy Starykov, Regional Development Adviser of the Sumy Local Government Development Centre, Candidate of Historical Sciences

At the end of 2017, the 2nd All-Ukrainian Forum of Amalgamated Hromadas was held in Kyiv. A year ago, even the stoutest optimists hardly imagined the scale of such an event, and that it will be attended by the President of Ukraine, Prime Minister, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada and other high-ranking officials. If earlier the progress of the decentralisation reform was not perceived as irreversible, now, despite all the existing skepticism, more than 6 million people live inamalgamated hromadas, and the area of ​​the established AHs exceeds such countries as Hungary or Portugal. That is, the reform has crossed a so-called Rubicon. However, decentralisation, as such, and establishment of amalgamated hromadas are not an end, as the goal of the reform is a new model of the state based on the initiative of people.

The full version is available in Ukrainian – please click HERE