The forum is the conclusion of the project, where municipalities from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland and Slovakia are sharing experiences of developing their communities with Ukrainian municipalities. They discuss local budgets, energy efficiency, education and social services, industrial parks, and many other topics that are in the remit of local governments. Improving the capacities of Ukrainian municipalities through international cooperation is important for reconstruction of Ukraine.
“Through such projects, we are trying to link those Ukrainian municipalities, especially small and medium size, that need support but might have no experience in international cooperation, with municipalities in the EU that are motivated and ready to help. We remember the important role peer-to-peer cooperation and twinning played in the post-WWII reconstruction of Europe. It should also help Ukraine recover, rebuild, renew, and become a member of the EU family. These are the real and long-term bridges that CEMR together with our Associations, and with the support of actors like the U-LEAD, are helping to build”, - says Fabrizio Rossi, Secretary General of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions.
The project began in March 2021. Six visits to EU countries and more than twenty-five online meetings took place as part of the project. Despite different languages and realities of the development of the communities, Ukrainian and EU municipalities found common ground and quickly became friends. It turned out that most local governments face similar challenges, which is also a result of the matching process that was carried out in the beginning of the project. For instance, the Ukmergė district of Lithuania was chosen for the Korosten municipality in the Zhytomyr region as both municipalities indicated similar sectors of cooperation. As for the Polyanytsya municipality from the Ivano-Frankivsk region, the Polish Polanica-Zdrój was selected. Indeed, both localities have the same names, geography, and also similar local economies.
After the start of the Russian war, some European municipalities, upon request of their Ukrainian partners, provided humanitarian and financial assistance. Such support from European partners is extremely valuable. For example, Šiauliai district municipality in Lithuania sent eleven tons of humanitarian aid to the Dolyna community in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. The total amount is approximately 100 thousand euros.
"Together with our international partners, we are considering projects to automate our municipally-owned services so that we can ensure normal functioning in critical situations. We also want to automate hospitals. We have bought two generators that will help in case something happens. We understand that this year will be difficult. Our budget, the budget of Ukraine, will be different than in previous years. But we сannot forget about the development. The best thing that humanity has come up with is collective cooperation," - says Ivan Dyriv, Mayor of Dolyna municipality.
Moreover, 36 children of military personnel from Dolyna went to a camp near the Baltic Sea, where they were able to remember what a peaceful childhood is.
“For us at U-LEAD, the “Bridges of Trust” is not just another initiative, not just one of numerous projects we do every day. It is literally one of the main pillars of our work. For we constantly wish to bring Ukrainian municipalities closer to their counterparts in the EU. And the importance of the “Bridges of Trust” during the Russian invasion hasn’t decreased in the slightest, but, quite the opposite, it has become even more crucial. The forums that we’ve had over the last months have been more than an opportunity for international cooperation – they provided a perspective to Ukrainian municipalities and thus a bit of hope to their citizens. But in the long run the aftermath of our work will be even much more valuable, for the partnerships we have facilitated will turn from bridges to foundations – the foundations of the future European local self-government. There is so much work that is still ahead of us, but for getting this far I am sincerely grateful to all our partners who made the “Bridges of Trust” possible: the Council of European Municipalities and Regions, the European coalition of cities and regions PLATFORMA, the Ministry for Communities and Territorial Development, and, of course, all the municipalities that participated”, – Bastian Veigel, Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe.
The cooperation between local authorities for the exchange of experience will continue with a special focus on reconstruction. The mayors of Ukrainian municipalities stated that, after victory, they will be happy to receive European partners in their restored cities and villages.