The European Union will issue EUR 800,000 for the repair and equipment of administrative services centers, Swedish Ambassador to Ukraine Martin Hagstrom has said.

"If the services are provided on time, qualitatively and comply with the regulations, this will raise the level of public confidence in the centers and will confirm the best relations between citizens and the state," Hagstrom said during the signing of memoranda of cooperation between the representatives of 14 communities and SKL International, implementing the initial phase of the U-LEAD project "Establishment of administrative services centers and increasing public awareness of local self-governance" in part of development of administrative services centers, funded by the EU and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

The ambassador also noted the funds allocated would be spent on repairs of premises, technical equipment for the centers, as well as training staff and informing the public about the activities of the centers.

Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Hugues Mingarelli, in turn, expressed hope that as many communities as possible will join the decentralization reform in 2017.

The U-LEAD project provides for improvement of administrative services at the local level and strengthening the capacity of implementing reform policies by the key subjects at the national, regional and local levels.