THE MAIN FEATURES OF ENSURING THE COMPETITIVENESS OF TERRITORIAL COMMUNITIES OF THE BLACK SEA ECONOMIC REGION

Abstract

The main features of ensuring the competitiveness of territorial communities of the Black Sea Economic Region are considered in the article. The institutional framework for the development of territorial communities in the context of the reform of local self-government and territorial organization of power in Ukraine on the basis of decentralization is character- ized. The signs of competitiveness of united territorial communities at the vertical and hori- zontal levels are outlined. It is determined that the vertical competitiveness at the regional lev- el is determined by the ability to effectively use its own potential and resources, to be in the forefront of the socio-economic development of the region, while at the national level – to suc- cessfully compete with other communities in a particular type of activity. The horizontal di- mension of competitiveness implies the ability of a community to use its own socio-economic opportunities with minimal involvement of external resources by reducing energy costs, im- proving the quality of housing and communal services, creating new jobs, supporting small and medium-sized businesses, training and engaging third-party specialists, and efficient use of land and natural resources. The signs of competitiveness of communities in the Black Sea Economic Region by vertical and horizontal criteria are analyzed in the article. Examples of successful implementation by territorial communities of measures to increase their competi- tiveness by optimizing the use of available internal resources are provided. The main problems and obstacles to ensuring the competitiveness of the territorial communities of the studied re- gion in the context of a full-scale war are outlined. The main ones are: damage to the industri- al and social infrastructure of the region, due to the occupation and active hostilities, regular attacks on sea and river ports, mining of the Black Sea, export blockade, destruction of rec- reational potential, as well as the environmental disaster caused by the explosion of the Kak- hovka hydroelectric power plant, etc. The key measures aimed at increasing the competitive- ness of the territorial communities of the studied district are proposed, in particular: improving the human resources potential in the system of management of the development of territori- al communities; promoting the development of competitive positions of the real sector of the district’s economy; carrying out systematic work to create new jobs; aiming entrepreneurs to create industries with higher added value; introducing modern energy-saving technologies, ra- tional use of natural resources, etc.