On 23-25 January 2023, a team from the Odesa Field Office of the EU Advisory Mission Ukraine (EUAM) visited the communities of Safyany and Reni near the Ukrainian-Romanian border.

The aim of the visit was to introduce Citizen Advisory Groups (CAGs), with regular meetings, in which police, local authorities, activists, doctors, teachers, and entrepreneurs meet to discuss and find local solutions to local problems.

“The safety and security of every community is a joint task of the police and its citizens. Regular cooperation between residents and police officers helps to establish an open and trusted relationship as a path to a safer community,” said EUAM Senior Adviser on general Policing Georgios Pokas. “We hope this initiative will enhance the dialogue between local police officers and their communities as a tool to raise the public’s trust in their police.”

Representatives of both communities agreed to establish the CAGs, and decided to conduct meetings regularly to discuss current issues and seek solutions for pressing problems.

“The ongoing war has changed the habitual way of life of our community. The huge flow of internally displaced persons, electricity cuts and an excessive amount of trucks with grain in our area made us creative and motivated us to work all together to ensure a safe and secure environment,” said Natalia Todorova, Head of Safyany community.

Find out more

Press release