As part of the national project “Side by Side: United Communities,” efforts are underway to strengthen the partnership between the Druzhkivka community in Donetsk Oblast and the Zolotonosha community in Cherkasy Oblast.
Andriy Pankov, head of the Druzhkivka City Military Administration, met with Ukrainian MP Vitaliy Voitsekhivsky and Zolotonosha Deputy Mayor Oleksandr Florenko.
They discussed issues that directly affect the lives of our people: housing provision, support for internally displaced persons, the development of joint projects, the community’s financial capacity, and opportunities to preserve economic potential.
One of the key issues is providing housing for residents of the Druzhkivka community who were forced to leave their homes due to the war. There is currently a government program in place that allows people to purchase housing in rural areas. We discussed how our residents could take advantage of this program, as well as additional mechanisms that could expand people’s options for resolving their housing needs.
In the Zolotonosha community, an “agro-town” project is already underway, which involves the construction of cottages for residents of the Druzhkivka community—effectively creating a new settlement. This is one practical approach that could become part of a long-term solution to the housing issue for our people.
Another important topic of discussion was the financial capacity of communities. Due to the war, Druzhkivka has lost a significant portion of its economic base: businesses have shut down, people have lost their jobs, and the community has lost the majority of its budget revenue. At the same time, the relocation of residents has led to additional expenses for social support, the operation of assistance centers, and meeting people’s basic needs.
Therefore, it is important for frontline communities to develop state support mechanisms that take into account the actual financial burdens and enable communities to maintain their capacity even in wartime.
They also discussed possibilities for relocating businesses from Druzhkivka. It is important not only to preserve these enterprises and their workforces but also to create conditions for the community’s economic recovery even under current circumstances. This requires coordination with state and local authorities, as well as identifying sites and opportunities for these enterprises to operate in safer regions.
Based on materials from the Druzhkivka City Military Administration