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Photo: kanaldom.tv
Decentralization should work throughout Ukraine, in particular throughout the Donbass. At the same time, the issue of resolving the situation in Donbass does not depend much on decentralization reform.
The return of the occupied territories depends on the Russian Federation. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this answering the journalist’s question during the “Ukraine 30. Decentralization” forum.
According to the President, in spite of lots of positive moments in the decentralization reform, there are some small miscalculations. And the government understands all the problematic issues.
“We, as sappers, are now moving forward. Because decentralization reform is very important. And we are talking to communities. Communities need to understand that decentralization is not just about passing budgets to communities. It’s about people, who have elected their local governments and want to ask question. It’s a really big responsibility” – Zelenskyy said.
This is a big change for the country, the head of state stressed. And the central government will also help local authorities. That is why the Congresses of local and regional authorities were created.
“The issue of Donbass is not a local one. It is a question of Ukraine and all Ukrainians. I think this issue does not depend much on decentralization reform. Because we understand that the issue of returning Donbass, the issue of “silence” in Donbass and saving people, reducing shelling, prisoners exchange – all the issues that everyone already understands in Ukraine, regardless of how they are spelled out in Minsk agreements. All these issues, I think, primarily depend on the desire of the Russian Federation” – Zelenskyy also said.
The President believes that Ukraine is doing everything in this direction.
“Those are changes in the Minsk agreements related to decentralization reform – throughout the country, including Donbass. This law should be applied throughout Ukraine. Donbass and Crimea are Ukraine, so these changes will be in force everywhere” – said the President.
He reaffirmed his readiness to negotiate in the Normandy format.
“Today, all this depends on Russia… On our part, we are moving forward. Though slowly, but steadily” –Zelenskyy summed up.
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