All reforms and changes in Ukraine should be carried out solely in the interests of citizens and in view of their needs. Such a policy should be practiced not only in the capital, but also in the regions, said Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman at the meeting of the Board of the Association of Ukrainian Cities.

He stressed that we all want to make Ukraine strong.

"But it will be strong, when people feel their needs satisfied. A citizen should become the beneficiary of all reforms and changes. It does not matter whether he/she lives in Kyiv or in the Kherson Oblast,” added the Head of Government. “That is why it is important, how the work on the ground is organised."

He drew attention to the fact that: due to the budget subventions, due to decentralisation significant resources remain in the city budgets. Their effective use is the responsibility of the local authorities. As the Head of Government emphasised, the Cabinet of Ministers, on its part, is ready to meet the needs of the regions – both in view of allocation of funds for solving regional problems, and, for example, in view of the methodology of distribution and redistribution of subventions. Yet targeting should be the basis for such a distribution.

"For instance, what used to be with a healthcare subvention? We allocated funds for the beds in hospitals. What did the heads of hospitals do? They drew statistics of these beds being filled up. Seems like everything is fine, but we are changing this system. And it's good that we are doing it in the framework of decentralisation, which also gives additional resource to the local authorities," said Volodymyr Groysman.

According to the Prime Minister, the funds will be similarly allocated for road works. The Head of Government instructed the members of the Government to discuss the number of road projects and the terms for their implementation with the Board of the Association of Cities, and to allocate funds in this view.

The Head of Government paid special attention to the preparation for subsidies monetisation. "It is necessary to complete the process of metres’ installing, to move more quickly and finally, at the 26th year of independence, decide, who, how and how much consumes," said the Prime Minister.

In his opinion, the shared responsibility for processes in the state – both at the central level and on the ground – should become the key principle of work. "We have the only solution – the growth of the economy, creation and maintenance of normal conditions for the development of enterprises on the ground, use of all mechanisms of economy unshadowing, and confirmation of trust in the state," said Volodymyr Groysman. “And there is no separate consideration of the city of Vinnytsia and of the state of Ukraine. If there are problems on the ground, there will be a catastrophe at the global level. If there are successful cities – Ukraine will be successful."