Decentralisation in Ukraine: Council of Europe and Ukrainian Government to set up network of regional hubs to promote reform
STRASBOURG, 17.04.2015 – The Secretary
General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, and the Ukrainian
Deputy Prime Minister, Henadii Zubko, today laid the foundations for further decentralisation
across Ukraine by agreeing a major new network of regional offices to support
the reforms.
This is a joint initiative by the Council
of Europe and the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction and Municipal
Economy of Ukraine. The government of Ukraine has committed to decentralisation
as a key aspect of constitutional and legislative reform.
Regional Support Offices will be opened
across all Ukraine’s 25 regions (oblasts). The Council of Europe will appoint
one lead expert in each of these offices. They will be set up in early May and
each will act as a hub, bringing together and advising local authorities
(hromadas), elected representatives and civil society. They will also provide
feedback from regional stakeholders on draft laws and carry out public
awareness campaigns to help voters understand the new arrangements ahead of the
upcoming local elections.
Secretary General Jagland and Deputy Prime
Minister of Ukraine Henadii Zubko today signed a Joint
Statement confirming the development.
“These regional hubs will help pave the
way for decentralisation, which we know will be crucial to Ukraine’s lasting
political stability,” the Secretary General said. “Decentralising power has
become the reality for virtually all modern European states. The lesson from
Europe is that these arrangements are most successful when they are
locally-owned and shaped by the creativity and enthusiasm of ordinary citizens.
These principles should guide the new regional network and we are delighted
that the Government has asked us to help.”
Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, Henadii
Zubko, said: “The joint initiative will help facilitate the decentralisation
reform at the local level, and make sure that all stakeholders are informed
about the decentralisation and actively participate in its preparation and
implementation.”
The regional support offices will be
coordinated by the central Expert group based in Kyiv and created by the
Ministry of Regional Development. The
Council of Europe will provide expertise, drawing on its standards and
knowledge of European best practice.
The initiative is implemented under the Action
Plan for Ukraine 2015–2017, which put decentralisation and local government
reform as one of its priority areas.
Council of Europe Directorate of Communications
http://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/decentralisation-in-ukraine