If hromadas come to the Parliament in autumn and ask where is their CEC, which should appoint the first elections in hromadas, this will be a very big issue. And the number of people coming in autumn will be completely different for the current one. There may be tens of thousands of AH residents. Therefore, today it is necessary to make a decision. New elections in hromadas should be scheduled in September, informed Hennadii Zubko, Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine, on the air of Pryamyi TV Channel.

According to him, elections are a necessary condition for the further development of hromadas. The decentralisation reform has been underway for three years. Today, there are 750 formed AHs, that show concrete results – not only in budget increases, but also in the possibility of implementing projects: development and improvement of kindergartens, schools, roads, lighting, ASCs, new rural outpatient clinics.

“Today, the hromadas, that are ready for the elections, are experiencing absolutely new changes brought by decentralisation. Yes, they are late, yes, they have been observing the situation for three years. But now they are ready. We have made a very big step with this Parliament – we have made it possible to amalgamate around cities of oblast significance without elections. Therefore, a huge number of people are today in the process of negotiating amalgamation, rely on a new strategy, new revenues, and new powers. And for this purpose, the composition of the Central Electoral Commission to decide on the launch of a new electoral process in hromadas is really important,” said Hennadii Zubko.

According to the Vice Prime Minister, it is currently very important to exhaust all possibilities of voluntary amalgamation of hromadas. This is a matter of motivating them, for example – financial resources, powers that are transferred, opportunities, issues of setting and definition of taxes.

“Therefore, it is essential for us that a new approach to next local elections is introduced on a completely different map of Ukraine, when a new CEC is appointed, the Parliament is elected, and the presidential elections are held,” Hennadii Zubko said.