Mykolaiv City Council approved the barrier-free development program until 2026

Deputies approved the «Mykolaiv without barriers» program, photo: Getty Images

Mykolaiv city council approved the target program «Mykolaiv without barriers» for 2024-2026.

The decision was made during the regular session of the Mykolaiv City Council, writes NikVesti.

The program should ensure the possibility of forming a complex system of rehabilitation and integration of persons with disabilities, strengthening of social protection of persons with disabilities and other groups of the population with limited mobility.

In addition, it should create a barrier-free environment for all population groups in Mykolaiv, ensuring equal opportunities to receive services on a par with others under martial law.

The project was included in a batch vote and was adopted without discussion. It was supported by 29 deputies.

Commenting on this decision, Mykolaiv City Council deputy Yurii Stepanets said on his Facebook page that the program has been adopted «only by word of mouth.» He emphasized that the city is obliged to provide the population with an accessible barrier-free environment.

«They voted for words so far... And I really count on the support of the deputy corps for the same zealous and unanimous vote for numbers that will inspire hope for «barrier-free». Because, as they say, «to speak is not to turn curbs.» Anyone who has the desire to say that accessibility is «out of time» — please voice it to the eyes of veterans. To all those who, having fought for freedom, received a disability, were deprived of freedom in their native land, in their native cities, in their houses and apartments. If Russia is to blame for everything that was destroyed, then who is to blame for what was built «wrongly» or what was never built,» wrote Yurii Stepanets.

It should be noted that, according to the data of the rating of Dostupno.UA, in 2021, Mykolaiv took 13th place among 19 large cities in terms of accessibility.

On June 13, the «Barrier-free Ukraine» conference took place in Mykolaiv, where the «Barrier-free Handbook» was presented.

During the conference, the deputy of the Mykolaiv City Council Yurii Stepanets reminded that the city government should focus more attention on the issue of barrier-free and accessible city infrastructure for people with disabilities.