An open dialogue about integrity gathered representatives of the local government, business, and civil society and marked the beginning of the cooperation between Poltava City Council and the EUACI.
The event took place on 14 May after a Memorandum of Understanding between the City Council and the EUACI was signed. Kateryna Yamshchykova, the Acting Mayor of Poltava, and Allan Pagh Kristensen, Head of the EUACI, welcomed the participants and presented their prospects of the future joint activities.
Asier Santillan, Head of Section at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, emphasized Poltava’s potential to become a flagship city for transparent, citizen-focused post-war recovery. In his view, this is not only about rebuilding infrastructure, but first and foremost about building trust between institutions and the public.
Lars Olaf Søvndal Petersen, Deputy Head of the Danish Embassy in Ukraine, added that international support is build on trust — trust that is earned through actions, reforms, and tangible results. Key aspects of ensuring future international support.
The participants discussed the practical aspects of implementing transparency in governance, support to business, engaging civil society, and the importance of partnerships between the city leadership and its residents.
Key points:
- Integrity, an engaged community, and strong partnerships are becoming the foundation for positive change.
- Transparency and government accountability foster trust — which in turn drives business development, improves services and attracts investments.
- Modern businesses are effectively using digital tools to streamline operations, increase transparency, and improve service accessibility — practices that can be adopted by the city administration.
- The success of social and public initiatives at the local level depends on genuine dialogue between authorities and the community. It’s not only about speaking, but also listening and reaching out — this is how trust is build.
The EUACI welcomes Poltava as a new partner city and looks forward to the cooperation.
