Communities have leading role in restoration process – Kubrakov

Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine – Minister of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov said this during the announcement of new partner communities of the USAID Hoverla Activity in Mykolaiv and Kharkiv regions, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"We strongly believe that restoration should begin with communities because it is at this level that the priorities of recovery are best understood and felt. Therefore, we expect communities to play a leading role in the process of restoration and further development," Kubrakov said.

He added that it was very important to provide the regions with tools to increase their capacity, including new financial mechanisms that will help effectively implement the planned shifts in practice.

"It is about increasing the financial capacity of communities. In particular, thanks to such tools as using the opportunities of public-private partnership, administration by local self-government bodies of local taxes and fees, expanding the possibility of borrowing for all territorial communities, not only urban but also rural," the Deputy Prime Minister said.

At the same time, he emphasized, granting certain powers to the regions in the field of realization of financial capacity will take place under the control of the Ministry of Finance and according to certain rules of the game, "so that we do not have bankrupt communities."

As reported, the USAID Hoverla Activity has a budget of $74 million and is implemented by DAI from March 2021 to March 2026. The project provides assistance to the Government of Ukraine in promoting decentralization reform by supporting local self-government bodies which should become more capable of effectively providing services and accountable to citizens.

Photo: Volodymyr Tarasov