The Slovenian side funded in Khmelnytskyi region the implementation of two projects totaling over half a million euros, and will direct nearly a million hryvnias more toward the construction of two family-type children’s homes.
This was told to Ukrinform by Kateryna Savchuk, the director of the Khmelnytsky Regional Development Agency.
“Last year, Khmelnytskyi OVA engaged the Republic of Slovenia in implementing a project for the construction of a single-story house – a family-type children’s home in Stavnytsia, Mezhybizka community. With Slovenia’s grant funds and co-financing from local budgets, they built a dwelling for a family of two adults and ten children. These are internally displaced persons who moved to Khmelnytskyi region from Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The total budget of the project is €509 thousand.”
– Kateryna Savchuk
Further Cooperation and Plans
According to her, the continuation of the cooperation was marked by signing a grant agreement with the Slovenian side for the construction of similar houses in the Sakhnovetska and Staroushytska communities. The project foresees funding of nearly €1 million. The preparatory phase is currently underway, and the completion of construction is planned for next year.
Slovenia has also engaged partners to implement a project to set up in the Mezhybizka community a dormitory for four IDP families. The project design and budget documentation are currently being updated.
Savchuk added that the Republic of Slovenia allocated €50,000 for the implementation of the project “Phytoremediation for soil restoration and biodiversity conservation in the Teofipol community,” within which the first municipal miscanthus plantation in Ukraine was established. It is located in the town of Teofipol on a plot of land near wastewater treatment facilities, which is not suitable for farming. Instead, miscanthus will be processed into pellets that will heat municipal facilities, and in the long term the plant will convert polluted soils into fertile land.
Plans for 2026 include a joint project between the Republic of Slovenia and Khmelnytskyi region aimed at developing bilateral inter-municipal cooperation. It targets the region’s communities and envisions exchanging experiences and implementing the best European practices.
Among other projects implemented in the region with support from international partners is a grant from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) aimed at training veterans, female veterans, and their family members to start and run a business.
With the support of the Republic of Poland, rehabilitation equipment has been purchased for the rehabilitation of veterans at the “Shore of Hope” recreation center.
The director added that the Khmelnytskyi Regional Development Agency receives institutional support from the Swiss-Ukrainian project “Cohesion and Regional Development of Ukraine,” UCORD, which is implemented with the support of Switzerland through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation by NIRAS Sweden AB.
In particular, thanks to cooperation with UCORD, the agency provides expert support to Khmelnytskyi region communities in planning the future. It currently helps to create or update development strategies for 10 communities, supports the development of small and medium-sized businesses – organizing trainings and intensives, and provides consultations to entrepreneurs. Moreover, UCORD project support enables the agency to strengthen its own institutional capacity by applying the best European practices.