Zelensky instructed to check access to every settlement

President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky instructed the government to conduct a logistics audit that should show how accessible government services and infrastructure actually are for residents of the country's settlements, including remote mountain communities. At the same time, the Cabinet of Ministers should assess the financial capabilities of the state and local budgets to solve the identified problems.

The president gave the instruction on August 13 during a meeting in Ivano-Frankivsk with representatives of mountainous territorial communities of Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Chernivtsi and Zakarpattia regions. Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi and relevant ministers joined the discussion via video link.

During the meeting, community representatives raised issues related to the condition and financing of roads, transport connections, accessibility of school education and medical services. The provision of settlements with high-clearance buses and medical transport was discussed separately.

The task of the audit is to determine not formal, but real accessibility of necessary services for residents. In particular, authorities should assess transport connections with settlements and the possibility of ensuring passage of medical transport, transportation of children to schools and citizens' access to government institutions.

Zelensky instructed the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance and ministers responsible for community development and infrastructure, together with local authorities, to analyze the possibilities of the budgets. The government should determine which problems communities can solve on their own and where funding from the state budget will be needed.

Separately, the president instructed the government to prepare priority decisions for the development of mountainous areas within a month. Among the issues raised were also forestry taxation, tourist tax, flood prevention measures and creation of more favorable conditions for local businesses.

Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi stated that, based on the results of the work, the government will prepare a report and a concrete plan. They are planned to be presented by the holding of the first economic summit "Carpathian Integration Initiative".

The summit should take place in September. Participation of representatives of eight states on whose territory the Carpathians are located, as well as more than 500 business representatives from different countries, is expected. Among the main areas of cooperation are economy, security, ecology and investments.

Based on materials from: Office of the President of Ukraine