How is Donbas being restored? Video

Head of Donetsk regional military and civil administration Pavlo Zhebrivskiy claimed at the end of March that the region would have about 4 billion UAH to restore the infrastructure. The head of the administration claimed that infrastructure objects would be developed on the territory of the Donetsk region controlled by Ukraine. The details on the restoration of the Donbas towns after the hostilities are in Talk with Donbas program on Donbas Public TV.

At the same time, according to the UN and the World Bank data, the damage inflicted to the social and economic structure of the Donbas amounts to $1.200 mln. The data is presented in a joint report of the international organizations presenting the results of evaluation of the situation and plans for peace consolidation.

However, the sum of the money allotted to the projects in the UN Donbas Recovery Programme is higher than the evaluated cost as the UN is guided by the principle “make it better than in was”. Ruslan Fedorov, chairperson of the UN Development Programme, presented an example, “If the roof of a hospital was destroyed, while restoring it, we'll construct a rampant”.

The UNO provides technical support in restore the social and economic infrastructure as well as consultations to people to develop their business skills. “Employment is one of the most vital problems in the region”, said he. “For the last year, we have restored 30 objects of social and economic infrastructure. We have distributed 270 grants to launch businesses to IDPs and locals of the Donetsk region, and have created more than 2 thousand jobs”, added Fedorov.

At the same time, there still are houses in Slovyansk (the Donetsk region) damaged during the time of occupation and hostilities. In summer, it will have been two years since the time militants left the town. However, there are objects of infrastructure which remind of the tragic events. For example, there are several unrestored dwelling houses in Semenivka settlement. The psychiatric hospital buildings, located in Semenivka too, were destroyed by shells. “The dispensary may accommodate 200 patients, but the number of people who need help has increased — the ATO participants, IDPs from the uncontrolled territory who have been experiencing stress. These people require help, but we are not able to provide it as we have facilities only for 200 people”, says Yuriy Smal, hospital director.



After the war, the psycho-tuberculosis department of Semenivka hospital has been restored. A mini-boiler has been installed. Now we are estimating the cost of the refurbishment of several buildings. Investors may be attracted. The hospital staff are waiting for the beginning of the reconstruction work. For them it means being back, at home.

“Everyone understands that there is war. And one of the criteria to get foreign investments is peace”, says Yuriy Uzun, director of healthcare department of Donetsk regional state administration. “These things are interconnected. It goes without saying that we are preparing the papers. We even have a department responsible for the development. But we understand, and it is felt in the context of the talks — there will be money if there is peace. That is why we should be ready. More than that, we are ready to co-finance: we are ready to allot some sums of money from the regional budget plus the money of potential investors. This variant is being analyzed”.

Residents of the Donetsk region — in Slovyansk and Mariupol — evaluate negatively the speed of infrastructure restoration. Some of them claim that they have not noticed any changes. However, the majority of the people surveyed by Donbas Public TV correspondents understand that the war is going on and it stands on the way of the restoration and development of the region.

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