Mykolaiv Approves ₴45M Participatory Budgeting Program for 2025-2027

Mykolaiv has approved a participatory budgeting program that will allow citizens to participate in the allocation of part of the city's budget. The total funding for the program will amount to over UAH 45 million.

The decision was supported by the deputies at the session of the Mykolaiv City Council.

The Mykolaiv City Council has decided to approve the city program "Public Budget of Mykolaiv. Mykolaiv" for 2025-2027. This program was launched in 2017 with the assistance of the international NGO Foundation for Ukrainian-Polish Cooperation PAUCI and the Polish-Canadian Democracy Support Program.

Approval of the program will allow citizens to be involved in discussions and decision-making regarding the financing of important city projects. According to the program, UAH 45 million 280 thousand will be allocated for its implementation in 2025-2027.

According to the decision, participatory budgeting will allow Mykolaiv residents to actively engage in the budget planning process and determine what to spend part of the city's local community budget on. This will create new opportunities for interaction between local authorities and the community.

Participatorybudgeting is a tool of direct democracy that enables every resident of the local community to participate in the budget process, understand its principles and influence decisions on the expenditure side of the local budget.

The mechanism of participatory budgeting is that part of the local funds is distributed by residents through the development and submission of projects aimed at improving living conditions in the community. These projects are subject to an open vote among other community members. Thus, important decisions about the development and improvement of the community can be made not only by the authorities but also by the residents themselves.

In December 2024, the Mykolaiv Expert and Public Council took part in the creation of innovative projects for the community and implemented the concept of the blue economy. Experts were actively working on the development of key initiatives such as the city development strategy, the concept of an industrial park, the revitalization of a shipyard, and other projects.

Анна Бальчінос