The first elections took place in the Kalanchatska amalgamated hromada of the Kherson Oblast on 11 December 2016. The AH included 12 settlements. 

Infrastructure

Today, the AH budget is estimated at UAH 100 million. At the expense of the infrastructure subvention a truck with various joining modules was purchased last year. In addition, they bought a garbage truck, an excavator, machine for pumping out sewage, and a mower. The hromada decided to start road repairs not from the centre. The same approach concerns street lighting.

One of the most important projects planned for this year is the opening of the ASC with a wide range of services.

Education

After amalgamation the Kalanchatska AH pays considerable attention to kindergartens and schools. They carry out internal repairs and replace windows, doors, and insulate walls in the kindergartens. The funds for this were received from the state as a separate subvention.

Healthcare

“We hope that from 1 October 2018 we will be able to sign an agreement with the National Health Service, that will finance us directly. At present, up to 50% of AH residents have signed declarations with doctors of our Primary Healthcare Centre. The history will show whether the reform was a correct step, but the rural healthcare just can’t remain in the previous state,” says AH head Volodymyr Zinchuk.

Ecology

One of the few steppe rivers of the Kherson Oblast – the Kalanchak river – flows through the Kalanchatska AH. Last year, the state allocated approximately UAH 1 million for the construction of discharge pipes, through which water from the canal should go by the river and thus wash its bed. The Kalanchatska AH co-funded this project. Waste management is another concern of the hromada.

“There are no quick changes”

“I constantly talk with people, trying to explain that there are no quick changes. Today, we lay the foundation to see the result in 10-15 years, reaching a stable development. Recently, together with my colleagues, I have visited the Polish communities. Of course, they have another level of income, infrastructure. This is despite the fact that much of the EU resources have been invested there. But they also complain about the lack of money. I think that it is so everywhere, we always want more. But the earlier we will start to really change something, the sooner will we see the result,” said Volodymyr Zinchuk.

The full version is available in Ukrainian – please click HERE