Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Oleksiy Kuleba met with Georg Milbradt, Special Envoy of the German Government to Ukraine for Decentralization, Good Governance and Public Service.
During the meeting, the participants discussed the development of decentralization reform and the strengthening of democracy in the midst of a full-scale invasion, Ukraine's European integration processes, and communities’ participation in state development.
Oleksiy Kuleba thanked Georg Milbradt for his many years of personal contribution to the development of the decentralization reform and consistent assistance to our country during the war.
"Ukraine is fighting for democratic values shared with Western countries. Despite the full-scale aggression, the processes of decentralization and European integration in Ukraine have not stopped, but, on the contrary, continue and develop. Recently, the Verkhovna Rada has adopted an important law "On Service in Local Self-Government Bodies". This law is not only a necessity for building a rule-of-law democratic state, but also an important component of institutional adaptation to the EU and a step towards fulfilling Ukraine's obligations under the Association Agreement," said the Deputy Head of the Presidential Office.
Oleksiy Kuleba emphasized that local government bodies and the central government are working closely together to ensure victory and quality life support for Ukrainians in the war.
"We are developing platforms for ongoing cooperation and coordination. In particular, this is the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine. An example of the successful scaling of the Congress is the International Summit of Cities and Regions, which was recently held in Kyiv and brought together more than 400 representatives of communities, regions and associations from around the world," said the Deputy Head of the Presidential Office.
For his part, Georg Milbradt emphasized that strong communities united by one goal will be the key to the successful restoration and development of Ukraine.
"The strategic reform to strengthen local self-government is an important investment in Ukraine's overall capacity and resilience. Strong local self-government will be a key factor in successful reconstruction. Confident citizens - strong communities - safe country!" said the Special Envoy of the German Government to Ukraine.