Local Development and Preconditions for Border Pass Opening and Motorway Construction Across the Ukrainian-Romanian State Border in Shybene Verkhovyna District Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast of Ukraine and Poenile-De-Sub-Munte Maramures County of Romania

Project overall objective was to strengthen the economic capacities and investment attractiveness of border communities in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast in Ukraine and Maramureş County in Romania through the promotion of sustainable development, investment opportunities, and infrastructural changes to improve the accessibility of the regions (building a motorway and opening a border pass in the vicinity of Shybene village in Verkhovyna District, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast (Ukraine) and the village of Poenile de sub Munte in Maramureş County (Romania).

Planning and design documentation and estimates for road construction (Iltsi-Shybene) and border pass infrastructure were prepared including Environment Impact Assessment of both projects. The economic research of benefits and perspectives of the road construction and border pass opening was performed. The ready documentation was forwarded to the Final Beneficiary for further construction purposes.

The project lobbying campaign resulted in inclusion of the costs for road construction and border pass opening to the Tasks and measures of the State target social programme of sport and tourist infrastructure development in Ukraine in 2011-2022 (in accordance to the changes to the Regulation # 707 from 26.06.2011 approved by Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on 17.10.2013) securing the allocation of 708 mln. UAH to the road and border pass construction from the mentioned state target programme.

Besides, the project performed a number of activities aiming at increasing of economic capacity of local communities. In particular, the Investor Road Map for Ivano-Frankivsk region was prepared and published in various languages. The strategic development planning was performed for the Verkhovyna district (Ukraine) and Ruscova valley (Romania) involving the business attitude survey in both target areas, preparation of community profiles and elaboration of Strategic plan of Economic development of Verkhovyna district and Ruscova valley. The short presentation versions of ‘Development Strategy of Verkhovyna District and Ruscova valley’, ‘Perspective investment projects’, ‘Verkhovyna Community Profile’ and ‘Ruscova valley Community Profile’ were prepared and published in Ukrainian, English, Romanian and Russian languages.

This presentation materials were forwarded to the local communities as an information and promotion tool for investors and potential partners. The special data base of local suppliers of goods, works and services was developed and allocated at www.hutsul.biz, presenting over 300 companies in the production, agriculture and service sectors.

The special promotional brochure ‘Invest In Ivano-Frankivsk region’ was prepared and published in partnership with the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Centre for Investment and Development in order to present the regional investment opportunities and promote the region as place for investment to the potential investors and business partners.