Decentralization of power to be enshrined in Constitution
Vice Prime
Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Hroisman presented Ukrainian Government proposals
on constitutional changes necessary for local self-government reform and the
implementation of the decentralization of power on Monday at a meeting of the
Interim Special Commission of the Verkhovna Rada.
The meeting
was attended by representatives of all parliamentary factions and groups,
Speaker and Acting President of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov, Prime Minister
Arseniy Yatsenyuk, heads of regional and district councils, representatives of
local self-governments, heads of city state administrations, Ukrainian experts
on constitutional law and local self-government and representatives of
international organizations.
Presenting
the adopted by the Government concept of local self-government reform and the
draft constitutional amendments on decentralization of power, Volodymyr
Hroisman stressed the need to reach a consensus between the Government and
representatives of various political forces - as amendments to the Constitution
will form the basis of laws necessary for the practical implementation of the
reform.
"We
want that 2014 will be devoted to changes in legislation, and we should make
these changes. This is a set of laws - Amendments to the Budget Code, the local
self-government legislation, laws on local government representation, on
association and cooperation of local communities, the formation of modern
regional policy. These are quality European laws that we have to take," he
stressed.
According
to Volodymyr Hroisman, a number of legislative initiatives will provide an
opportunity to build a balanced system of governance in the country,
differentiate and define competencies between local self-government bodies and
transfer communities and regions powers and financial resources to give them
leverage over the territory by reducing the influence of the central system and
the central government over local self-government.
During the
discussion, representatives of almost all parliamentary factions and local
governments expressed support to the declared government course on
decentralization. According to the majority of participants of the discussion,
local self-government reform will not only respond to current challenges, but
also create the basis for the successful development of
MPs
continue to discuss proposals for amendments to the Constitution and in its
other articles in order to pass amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine by
mid-May of this year.