International Forum “Ways to improve local democracy institutions in Ukraine”
On May 18-19, a Public Forum was held in Kyiv with the participation of European experts “Ways to improve local democracy institutions in Ukraine”, which gathered politicians, representatives of local self-government bodies, public figures and analysts, international experts on local democracy. The event aimed at discussing local policy issues and developing common approaches to the promotion of local democracy institutions and lobbying legislative initiatives in the field.
At the opening of the Forum Chairman of the Laboratory of Legislative InitiativesIgor KohutHe spoke about the need to increase local self -government in Ukraine, the impact of the economic crisis on local policy, which once again testified to the serious problems that exist in this area.The expert also mentioned the monitoring mission of the Assembly of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, which will be a serious challenge for the Ukrainian authorities.
With a welcoming speech also performedVladimir Ristovsky, The head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine, andGuido Beltrani, Director of the Swiss Bureau of Cooperation in Ukraine, who talked about projects aimed at the development of local democracy institutions and prospects for the development of this area.
Vasily Demchyshen, Head of the Parliamentary Subcommittee on State Construction, shared information on the stages of drafting on local referendum and local initiatives.In particular, the first project has already been taken by the Committee on State Construction and Local Self -Government as a basis, and the local initiative bill will be finalized and re -reading.
Advisor to the President of Ukraine, Head of the Coordination Council on Civil Society DevelopmentMarina StavniychukShe reported the first results of the Coordination Council on Civil Society and the process of forming a strategy for state support for the development of the third sector in Ukraine.According to the official, reforming the system of local self -government in the direction of involvement of citizens in management decisions should be a continuation of the 2004 constitutional reform. The abolition of the latter, according to Marina Stavniychuk, was, among other things, due to the lack of progress in the field of improvement of local self -government.
In discussion on topic“Democracy of participation as a basis for cooperation between government and public at the local level”They took partGennady Maxak, President of the Non -Governmental Analytical Center “Polissya Fund of International and Regional Research” (Chernihiv),Pavel Swanevich, Head of the Department of Local Development and Local Policy of Warsaw University, Advisor to the President of Poland on local democracy and decentralization reforms, expert of the Council of Europe Program “Strengthening Local Democracy and Support for Local Self -Government Reforms in Ukraine” (Poland), Elena Chebanenko, Director of the Laboratory Policy Analysis Department of Legislative Initiatives (Presentation “White Book of Public Participation in the Decision Decision at the Local Level”)Michael Nakhod, Head of the Center for Political Analysis and Electoral Consulting (Lutsk), Alexei Orlovsky, Director of the Civil Society and proper Governance Program of the International Renaissance Foundation, as well as Igor Abramyuk, expert analyst at the Institute of Civil Society.
The topic “Prospects for the Development of the Institute of Local Referendum in Ukraine” was discussed by direct representatives of the local self -government system – the mayor of Trostyanets Yuri Bova and the head of the apparatus of the Vitaliy Klitschko Bloc in Kyiv City CouncilVladimir Bondarenkowho talked about the practical aspects of the field policy. Dr. Roto Steiner, Professor of Berne University (Center for Public Administration, Switzerland) spoke about Swiss practice of using a local referendum mechanism (presentation “Local referendums: a threat to the government? – Swiss experience and possible preconditions for further improvement of this tool”). According to the expert, thanks to local referendums and local initiatives, Switzerland has one of Europe’s highest levels of public trust in Europe. Expert of the Department of Analysis of the Laboratory of Legislative Initiatives Laboratory Alexander Zaslavsky In his review, he focused on the history of the development of Ukrainian legislation on referendums on the ground, problematic moments of the profile bill and recommendations for their possible solution.
The thematic block “Results of changes in the electoral system at the local level and the needs of its update” highlighted Andriy Kohut, Software coordinator of the laboratory of legislative initiatives, Denis Kovryzhenko, election expert, and Sergey Tkachenko, Chairman of the Donetsk Regional Organization of the Committee of Voters of Ukraine.
The event ended with a discussion Forum resolutions.
The International Conference was held with the support of the Council of Europe “Strengthening Local Democracy and Support for Local Self-Government Reforms in Ukraine”, the Swiss-Ukrainian Project “Support for Decentralization in Ukraine” and in cooperation with the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction and Housing and Committee for Development Self -government.