Type of territory: rear
Population: 9,872, including 1,950 internally displaced people
Area of municipality: 309.3 km2
Priority project:
New construction of a complex of greenhouses with a hangar
Additional peculiarities of the municipality:
Apart from being a settlement municipality with an area of about 309.3 km², Opishnia has a number of unique and important features that distinguish it from many other municipalities. It is the centre of Ukrainian pottery (the Pottery Capital of Ukraine):
Opishnia is famous for its centuries-old pottery traditions. It is not just a craft, but a cultural phenomenon that shapes the municipality's identity.
The National Museum of Ukrainian Pottery is located in Opishnia, which is a leading research and cultural and educational centre. The municipality actively develops this area, holds its own pottery festivals, and seeks to attract tourists, which creates a significant tourism potential. The Opishnianska Artel municipal enterprise is reviving the artisanal production of pottery.
In addition to pottery, the municipality is actively developing its tourist infrastructure. Roads have been repaired, new sidewalks have been laid, and parks have been reconstructed.
New tourist locations: Viewpoints with views (Opishnia is located on the hills), Cossack crosses, Badinage well, a wooden church in Mali Budyshcha, Scythian mounds. Development of cycling routes and water tourism (kayaking) in Vorskla. A Tourist Information Centre (TIC) is in operation. This potential makes tourism one of the key sectors of municipal development.
The municipality has deposits of natural gas and gas condensate, as well as construction raw materials (clay). Gas production is an important source of income for the municipality (although there were interruptions in rent revenues during the war).
Agricultural development and innovative utility enterprises. The municipality is actively developing agriculture. A utility enterprise ‘Opishnia-Agro’ was established, which is engaged in growing vegetables (cucumbers, onions, lettuce, potatoes, zucchini, aubergines, cabbage) in greenhouses and in the fields. The company is an incubator of innovative approaches in agriculture, creates jobs and contributes to the local budget.
The municipal leadership is actively working to attract investment, use the participatory budgeting mechanism, and communicate with the members of the municipality.
There are plans to build a campus of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, which could significantly increase the educational and scientific potential of the municipality.
Participation in the pilot projects of the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, including the ‘Barrier-Free Routes’ project, which involves the creation of barrier-free infrastructure.
Opishnia is an old Cossack city with a rich history, including saltpeter breweries, ancient corners and underground passage systems.
Although there has not been a significant outflow of population, the municipality hosts IDPs, which increases the burden on social infrastructure, but also represents a potential resource for development. These features make the Opishnia municipality unique and promising, combining tradition with innovation and a proactive approach to development.
Contact: Mr Mykola Riznyk, Mayor, rezniknikolay@gmail.com
Ms Karina Demchenko, Specialist of the Project and Investment Department, invest@opishnya-gromada.gov.ua
