The remote and mountainous regions of Ukraine need to be actively integrated into the life of the country and the residents have to be provided with access to healthcare, education, high-quality infrastructure, stated Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman during the meeting on the development of mountainous territories, held as part of the Head of Government’s working visit to the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast.

"It is necessary to work out an approach that will make it possible to simplify the life of the residents of mountainous areas. I understand what it means, when it is difficult to get to school, when there is no access to healthcare, education, infrastructure use," the Head of Government said. "Currently, 670 thousand people live in the mountainous regions and face challenges each day. Our task is to restore roads to ensure efficient logistics, make healthcare and education accessible, promote tourism development, and locate enterprises.”

Volodymyr Groysman drew attention to the fact that a special draft law on the development of mountainous areas has already been developed, and that at the ministerial level, the work has to focus on working with mountainous hromadas as well.

"There is even some digital discrimination in these areas, merely the Internet is not everywhere. During the "Hour of Questions to the Government" (on Friday, 16 March), I promised that I would come to the mountains so that we along with the local authorities identify the further common actions,” said the Prime Minister.

He explained that the central government is ready to allocate considerable funds – in the amount of about UAH 12 billion – including for the development of the mountainous areas, and to work out issues of salary subventions.

"These areas are the treasure of Ukraine and need to be preserved. We have to find out where the strengths of the region are to support and invest in them," emphasised the Head of Government.