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Russian Foreign Ministry marks start of decentralization process in Ukraine

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, the Odessa regional court has ordered in favor of concluding a treaty on relations between the regional authorities and Kiev

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS, archive

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

© Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS, archive

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MOSCOW, May 31. /TASS/. The decision made by the Odessa regional court in favor of concluding a treaty on relations between the regional authorities and Kiev indicates that the process of decentralization is already underway in the country, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on her Facebook page.

"As far as I know from the mass media, the initiative was supported by 48 legislators, while only seven voted against," Zakharova said. "Before that two more regional legislatures - in the Zhytomyr and Kirovohrad regions - adopted similar decisions. As regional lawmakers hope, the treaties will guarantee clear power sharing, which will allow for enforcing an administrative and territorial reform and enhance the effectiveness of state governance locally."

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"Call it as you wish - decentralization or federalization. It does not matter. What is really important is the process is already in progress," Zakharova said. "This is precisely what the authorities in Kiev have been scared to see all the way. It was afraid of losing its grip on controls and with it the leverage of power and the opportunity to distribute cash flows among regions."

As the sentiment in regions indicates, the people there are bored with sitting and waiting.

"It is undeniable that people in Ukraine are looking forward to real redistribution of powers, and not another two-year-long demagogical marathon," Zakharova said.

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