In Ivano-Frankivsk the representatives of rayon and settlement councils discussed with heads of amalgamated hromadas whether hromadas should amalgamate.

Author: Dmytro Synyak

The debates on the topic "Why should hroamdas amalgamate?", held this time in Ivano-Frankivsk, were marked by several interesting moments. Firstly, the degree of discussion was much higher than during the previous debates organised in the urban-type settlement of Krasnokutsk in the Kharkiv Oblast and in the city of Zhovkva in the Lviv Oblast. Both the opponents and supporters of amalgamation sometimes went beyond the civilised dispute. However, supporters had a better image – perhaps, because they only defended themselves against informational attacks of opponents, who tried to refute the obvious things.

Secondly, all statements of those "AGAINST" clearly reflected the destructive, Soviet in its essence, and centralised model of local self-government. All their speeches actually reduced to the formula: "Give us legislative support, normative base and money, and we will be able to spend this money – of course, for people’s benefit. At the same time, we will not be responsible for anything, because responsibility the prerogative right of the centre."

Thirdly, this time all the speakers were not so much arguing as responding to questions from the hall. Perhaps this is why the voiced information is difficult to structure. However, this does not diminish its curiosity.

The phrase of the day can be the response of Roman Hrynyshyn, head of the Rohatyn Rayon Council, to the comments of the moderator: "If the rayon joined the reform in 2015, then within three years it could receive UAH 60 million of infrastructure subvention." Roman Hrynyshyn replied literally the following: "I do not mind this money. What could they solve when the official salary debt in the rayon is calculated in millions of hryvnias!"

The full version is available in Ukrainian – please click HERE

Continuation of the story about the course of the debates in Ivano-Frankivsk can be followed in the next materials of decentralisation.gov.ua.

The event was organised by the Swiss-Ukrainian project "Decentralisation Support in Ukraine" (DESPRO), with the support of the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast State Administration and Ivano-Frankivsk Local Government Development Centre, established with the support of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme and MinRegion.