On February 26, the EWI Brussels Center and the Hanns-Seidel Foundation hosted a roundtable debate on Ukraine’s decentralization process, attended by several Ukrainian mayors and 30 other participants. Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Regional Development, H.E. Hennaddi Zubko, delivered the keynote address.

Despite the remains of the Soviet administration and an ongoing war in the east, Ukraine has achieved tremendous progress introducing decentralization and establishing local self-government. 70 percent of Ukraine’s population already live in amalgamated communities, which offers better services in health care, education and improved infrastructure. The EU remains committed to further support and to encourage this process, which will be finalized in 2020.

Image Credit: Charles Elkins