On 7 February, the First Forum of Starostas of Poltava Oblast took place in Myrhorod – a large-scale event that brought together more than 250 representatives of local self-government, Members of Parliament of Ukraine, oblast- and local-level councillors, as well as heads of territorial hromadas from across the oblast. The Forum became a platform for open dialogue on the role of starostas in ensuring the resilience of hromadas in wartime and in identifying practical solutions to everyday local challenges.
The discussions were joined by Oleksandr Korniienko, First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine; Oleksandr Bilenkyi, Head of the Poltava Oblast Council; and Members of Parliament Vitalii Bezgin, Oleksandr Aleksiichuk, Oleh Kulinych and Oleksii Ustenko.
The central event of the Forum was the panel discussion “Resilience. Unity. Peace”, which focused on the role of starostas in maintaining stability in the rear, working with internally displaced persons, and preserving hromada cohesion during the war. The live dialogue format enabled starostas to address lawmakers directly and receive practical guidance on operating in crisis conditions.
Polaris Programme experts Andrii Matsokin and Nataliia Mamchak, representing the Programme’s area supporting starostas, also took part in the panel discussions. They focused on the powers of starostas, resources for the development of remote territories, and the need for systematic support for the starosta institution.
Nataliia Mamchak highlighted the high level of participant engagement and the demand among starostas for practical knowledge and training:
“The discussion with starostas was as practical as possible. Their questions and real-life examples helped to outline the areas where systematic professional support is most needed.”
Andrii Matsokin, Lead of the Polaris area on strengthening the institutional capacity of starostas, emphasised the role of starostas as key actors in the systemic development of starosta districts. According to him, it is through strengthening this institutional capacity that hromadas can better meet residents’ needs and ensure sustainable and effective development.
The Forum addressed a range of pressing issues – support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, housing and services for internally displaced persons, the condition of local roads, inter-hromada logistics, simplification of administrative services, and attracting funding to starosta districts. MP Vitalii Bezgin stressed the importance of decisions based on real experience from the hromadas and proposed that each regional forum of starostas should clearly identify one concrete issue as a priority task. This time, participants agreed on the need to review the list of roads of national importance in Poltava Oblast, taking into account expert justification and the current situation.
The participation of Polaris Programme experts in the Forum of Starostas of Poltava Oblast is part of the Programme’s ongoing work with hromadas, grounded in dialogue and professional expertise on local-level governance decisions. This format of engagement contributes to strengthening local self-government capacity and enhancing the role of starostas within hromadas.
