Representatives of communities, government agencies, experts, and international partners discussed what legislative changes local governments and regions need today—and how Ukraine’s development management system should evolve in the future.
As part of the forum, a panel discussion titled “Regional Development: What Should the Legislation Change?” took place, featuring Yelyzaveta Savchuk, Director of the Vinnytsia Regional Development Agency. The discussion focused on the future architecture of Ukraine’s regional policy, the role of regional institutions, the legislative framework for recovery and attracting investment, as well as preparations for working with European regional development instruments.
“Thanks to the institutional support of the UCORD Project over the past two years, our Agency’s capacity has grown: we help communities develop strategies, energy plans, and digitalization programs, and bring services closer to the people. As the national contact point for the URBACT UKRAINE program, we serve as a guide for communities in accessing European resources and are ready to advise them at every stage—from preparing the initial application form to implementing projects. But to do this, agencies need financial stability. “This stability allows us to retain professional teams, manage complex infrastructure projects, and bring communities to the international level,” noted Elyzaveta Savchuk, director of the Vinnytsia Regional Association of Local Self-Government Bodies.
The results of a study by the NGO “DESPRO,” presented at the forum, clearly show what exactly communities expect from regional associations of local self-government bodies. The most frequently cited functions included advising local self-government bodies (24.7%), supporting international cooperation (19.3%), intermunicipal partnerships (17.7%), and project management (16%). In other words, there is a demand for practical expertise and support that helps communities identify opportunities and turn them into concrete projects.
The Vinnytsia Regional Development Agency team is currently focused on strengthening this capacity—so that opportunities for the region’s development do not remain merely at the strategic level but are transformed into concrete solutions and projects.
We thank the organizers—the NGO “DESPRO”—for the opportunity to participate in a professional dialogue on the further development of decentralization and regional policy in Ukraine. The event took place with the support of the EGAP Program, implemented by the Eastern Europe Foundation with support from Switzerland. The UCORD project is being implemented by NIRAS Sweden AB with support from Switzerland.