2459 starostas represent the interests of local councils, that amalgamated and held the first local elections, in amalgamated hromadas. 640 starostas, or 26% of the total number, were elected in the elections, and the rest – heads of local councils, that amalgamated into hromadas, perform the duties of starostas. It is evidenced by the data of monitoring of the process of decentralisation of power and reform of local self-government reform, carried out monthly by MinRegion.

It is worth reminding that starosta is a new local self-government official, a new institution created to ensure that the interests of all village residents in AHs are properly represented and their social, household and other needs are satisfied.

In certain AHs, starosta’s position is provided even in those settlements, where there was no separate local council before amalgamation. An example is the Tyachivska AH in the Zakarpattya Oblast.

MinRegion notes that the development of starostas’ institution is one of the steps that brings local authorities closer to people.

"Starosta is more than just a position. Starosta is a representative of the interests of all village or settlement residents in the executive committee of the AH council. He/She is a leader, who listens to people and ensures embodiment of their vision of the territory development. And, finally, the representation of such a number of starostas in the executive committees of AH councils proves that the fears of yesterday's local council members to be left without work because of amalgamation were unfounded. If only someone did not want to take responsibility himself/herself," commented Vyacheslav Nehoda, First Deputy Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services.

We would like to inform that decentralisation.gov.ua has a thematic Starosta section, where the current and future starostas can find relevant comprehensive information on the activities of the starostas’ institution. Particular attention is paid to the fact that there is also an online forum for the village starostas of AHs, developed at the initiative of the Swiss-Ukrainian Project “Decentralisation Support in Ukraine”(DESPRO).

Full version of Monitoring of the process of decentralisation of power and local self-government reform is available HERE