The draft state budget for 2019 set the amount of infrastructure subvention for AHs is set at the level of last year – UAH 1.9 billion. However, 165 more hromadas have been formed. The document is now being prepared for the second reading and, of course, the Parliament will have the decisive word. Decentralisation.gov.ua asked several MPs to what extent it is really possible to split the budget cake in such a way as not to slow down the reform pace.

Oleksandr Dekhtyarchuk, Member of Ukrainian Parliament:

Unfortunately, so far we have not been able to achieve an increase in the amount of infrastructure subvention for AHs, although we stand behind it. We demand that the subvention amount be the same as at the beginning of the reform, namely UAH 1.1 thousand per resident of amalgamated hromada.

Mykola Fedoruk, Member of Ukrainian Parliament:

As for me, the fact that the amount of infrastructure subvention remained at the level of last year is a very negative moment, because per capita it turns out to be much less than even last year. Therefore, I am in favour of increasing the infrastructure subvention at least up to UAH 4.5 billion.

It should be mentioned that associations of local self-government bodies, as well as international technical assistance projects and programmes within the framework of the Donor Board under the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine prepared proposals in three directions: to the draft State Budget for 2019; changes to the budget and tax legislation aimed at formation of indicators of the draft State Budget for 2019; changes to the budget, tax and other legislation that are aimed at supporting the local self-government development, increase their ability to effectively manage budget resources, but do not affect the formation of indicators of the State Budget for 2019.

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