With the support of the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative (EUACI), the VIII All-Ukrainian Forum of Local Self-Government was held in Lviv on June 10-11. The event brings together more than 300 mayors and local government representatives from all regions of Ukraine. The task of the forum is to discuss the achievements and find compromise solutions for local government reform in Ukraine.
On the first day of the Forum, EUACI conducted a panel discussion on “Does the integrity of the city government help attract investment?”. The participants of the discussion reflected and shared their own experience of increasing the flow of investments as a result of applying transparent and clear rules of cooperation with investors.
Andriy Zalivskyi, Chervonohrad city mayor: “I have a rule. I always tell a business that starts in Chervonohrad that it will receive a minimum income of 10%. I am asked: Why? How? And I answer: you do not pay a bribe, but on the contrary, you receive full support from the mayor. This rule is already known far beyond the borders of the Lviv region.”
Serhiy Sukhomlyn, Zhytomyr city mayor: “Earlier, we set a goal to make Zhytomyr a city where people do not go around the ring road, but where they stop for coffee on the way from Kyiv to Lviv. But ambitions, as well as responsibilities, are growing. Today our small town competes with large Ukrainian cities. And we have reached this level, including through the application of good practices of accountability and transparency. “
Pavlo Sheremeta, former Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine: “A study by Nobel Laureate Edmund Phelps shows that 85% of economic growth is driven by innovation. Not an increase in labor, not an increase in capital, namely innovation. We have not seen an increase in labor in the country and we see an outflow of capital. At the same time, as Mr. Sukhomlyn and Mr. Zalivsky prove, their cities are improving their performance. Thus, it is innovation, domestic, not imported, that is the driving force of economic growth. Integrity is one of the values that stimulate the innovation process.”
Allan Pagh Kristensen, EUACI Head: “I am pleased that we have the mayors of integrity cities Chervonograd and Zhytomyr with us today. You are best placed to tell us about how integrity can lead to investments. I know both cities are doing a lot in this field. I was in Chervonograd yesterday and I was very impressed by the strong efforts of the mayor Andriy Zalivsky to enhance the integrity and develop the city”.
