Responding to the discussion in media on civil service law, Jan Tombinski, the Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, made a following statement

The success and sustainability of the ongoing Ukrainian reforms requires a comprehensive reform of the public administration aimed at strengthening the effectiveness and the efficiency of both the civil service and the service in local self-government bodies.

The new law of Ukraine "On civil service" is key in order to create an enabling reform environment within the public administration. It was drafted by the Government of Ukraine and adopted in first reading by the Verkhovna Rada in April 2015.

The draft law takes into account international experiences and the principles of public administration as they are applied across the EU and OECD countries. It also proposes effective solutions to the main current challenges of the Ukrainian civil service, particularly, through a clear delimitation between political and civil service positions, introducing open and merit-based selection procedures for all civil service positions, as well as laying down a future framework for a fair and transparent salary system in the civil service.

I believe that a credible implementation plan, including a sound mid-term financial forecast for implementation of the new salary system for civil service and ways to reduce redundant functions and staff of public administration is essential to make the reform sustainable and to enable the Government to attract and retain the best talents of Ukraine.

The adoption of this draft law is also a condition in bilateral assistance programmes between Ukraine and the EU, namely, the State Building Contract, the Macro-Financial Assistance, as well as for possible future assistance programmes on public administration reform.

I expect that ongoing discussions on amendments to this draft law will enable the necessary clarifications and improvements with a view to adopt the proposed legislation within the shortest timeframe possible, so Ukraine can continue the ongoing reform process with a more effective, depoliticised, merit-based and professional civil service.

Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine

http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/ukraine/press_corner/all_news/news/2015/2015-09_22_01_en.htm