President on the results of decentralization: We rely on trust. Success goes with people’s trust
The President noted that at the beginning of this reform, he realized that "breakthrough initiatives that will definitely provide a quick and positive result throughout the country are needed".
President Petro Poroshenko emphasizes the importance of new opportunities for the communities to identify and build long-term plans of development through decentralization and implement them. That is why it is important to maintain and continue this reform, the Head of State emphasized.
The President noted that at the beginning of this reform, he realized that “breakthrough initiatives that will definitely provide a quick and positive result throughout the country are needed”.
“Separate projects under the patronage of central government will certainly not be enough. And despite the war, people have to see changes everywhere. People themselves must become participants, creators of these changes. And we shouldn’t forget that the war does not give us the right to mistake,” the Head of State emphasized, noting that the decentralization program appeared under very risky conditions, but was supported by the Government, the Verkhovna Rada and people’s deputies. Petro Poroshenko thanked them and all the proactive people who supported the program for teamwork.
But due to the law on decentralization, everything has changed and communities have begun actively solving the issues and develop, the Head of State said. “Together with responsibility, we have transferred financial resources,” the President noted and reminded that today the share of local budgets in the consolidated budget is 51% and the state budget amounts to only 49%.
“This is a vivid demonstration of priorities. And only the need to maintain a high defense spending line due to the Russian aggression does not allow us to further move the ratio in favor of local budgets. But this will definitely happen,” Petro Poroshenko said. He added that this allows the community to decide how much money to allocate on this or that project.
The Head of State called on the representatives of the communities to work transparently on the development of their territories. “Do this transparently. Report to the people for every hryvnia spent,” he said.
“And the most important thing. Decentralization is not when every man for himself. Vice versa. Decentralization is the association of all for the sake of a common great goal. And our goal is a country without periphery. A country of free, happy and prosperous people,” Petro Poroshenko stressed.
“For this purpose we work in Kyiv, for this purpose we work in Poltava region. I have reviewed the report and see that everything forms a picture of large and small, but constant and positive changes that are now moving across a broad front. Now the communities themselves define priorities, plan work and achieve results. They have something to show the country as a success of decentralization,” the President said.
