The Pyriatynska amalgamated hromada was among the first 12 to be formed in the Poltava Oblast during the first wave of decentralisation. Within the framework of the PULSE project, with the support of USAID, a regional branch of the Association of Ukrainian Cities organised a press tour to this AH so that its participants could see what has changed here since amalgamation.

It is hard now, yet interesting

“As a manager, I understood that no one would be better able to manage the territory more efficiently than a body of power, elected by people and accountable to them instead of Poltava or Kyiv authorities. I believe that we are lucky to live in an era of reforms. Because changes in Ukraine take place just here, in AHs. I used to be the head of the Chernukhy and Pyriatyn Rayons, head of the rayon council, and now I have my second tenure as the mayor, but my work has never before been so hard and interesting, as now,” says Oleksiy Riabokon, head of the Pyriatyn City Council with nine villages and a rayon centre in subordination.

The very first thing we started with in the newly formed AH was taking over the powers in the field of education. A single educational space and three hub educational institutions were established in the AH.

We were wondering how the hromada budget changed after amalgamation. Oleksiy Riabokon noticed that there are frequent speculations on the budget revenues issue: they say AHs have lots of money. In fact, along with additional tax revenues, there exists a serious burden on the maintenance of sectors, transferred to the responsibility of the amalgamated hromada. For example, after the transfer of the educational sector, its funding was significantly reduced.

Children's playgrounds were created based on the principles of hromada’s activation

What are some other positive achievements of decentralisation? Programmes for the purchase of school desks, educational appliances, equipment of computer rooms, insulation of educational institutions, etc. have been launched.

Being impressed by the reforms, we must rejoice not only because the infrastructure is changing for the better, but also because the living standards improve – ideally, people’s minds and mentality should change, the mayor said.

In course of two years, the AH purchased three residential buildings for medical staff.

However, there is a huge lack of jobs in the village. The only private enterprise is engaged in freight transportation and one more person – in farming. All the others go to work in Pyriatyn or Kyiv.

The AH is creating a powerful base of communal enterprises. They have purchased a hundred garbage cans following the European examples.

Besides, the AH cares about purchase of housing for healthcare workers.

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