On April 16, 2014at the meeting of the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Agrarian Policy and Land Relations with the participation of the Ukraine’s association of village heads was examined the question about sustainable development of villages and towns of the country. Speeches of the village heads from Ternopil, Chernihiv and other areas on the functioning of schools, hospitals, kindergartens, roads, transport links,cooperation with agricultural enterprises, farmers and other business structers were so frank, specific and emotional that people’s deputies have decided to conduct hearings on rural development in the Parliament.

Summing up, the Chairman of the Committee Grygorii Kaletnik emphasized that in recent years, despite the conversations of officials at all levels, rural and village councils were made powerless and incapable. They even had no right to dispose the land. Even rural pastures can be given for business to anyone, taking such a decision inKiev, without asking the village community and not taking into account the interests of people.

Grygorii Kaletnik said: “Any issues concerning property, inheritance can not be solved at the village council. They spend large sums of money and time to travel to the center. At one time Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko tried to solve questions concerning development of towns and villages. In 2009 she gathered 10,000 officials of local government. It is a pity that the decisions that were arrived at this important meeting of the Government with the local communities were not implemented because of the presidential election. The members of the Committee will carefully examine all the suggestions made in your speeches and bring appropriate laws”.