Ukrainian communities have faced serious difficulties due to the ban on local council deputies traveling abroad, which has led to a sharp decrease in international aid. As Oleksandr Slobozhan, Executive Director of the Association of Ukrainian Cities (AUC), reported in the project of the public initiative "Holka" - "Bridges of Ukraine", this ban was a consequence of the presidential decree, approved by the National Security and Defense Council, on restrictions on the movement of people's deputies abroad.
Slobozhan noted that the ban did not apply to local self-government, but it had a significant impact on the work of local deputies, who previously actively traveled abroad, building partnerships with international organizations and businesses. According to him, such activities significantly contributed to attracting assistance for the reconstruction of Ukrainian communities, which has now become much more difficult due to restrictions on deputies.
“As a result, foreign aid has decreased threefold,” Slobozhan noted, emphasizing that this responsibility now falls solely on the shoulders of mayors, who are forced to seek international support on their own. He also noted that local mayors who are trying to raise funds often lack sufficient tools and resources to work effectively with international partners and organizations.
