On October 6, 2010, a press-conference on the theme “In whose hands is the local self-government of Ukraine?” was held at the UNIAN news agency in Kyiv.
The press-conference was organized by the All-Ukrainian Association for Promoting Self-organization of People, with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation.
One of the reasons for press-conference conduct was explained by the facts of central government ignoring the problem of flaws in legislation concerning local democracy. For instance, recent disastrous vote in the Verkhovna Rada on the bill that envisaged adoption of the new Law of Ukraine “On the organs of self-organization of people”.
As noted by Oleksiy Orlovsky, director of the Civil Society Impact Enhancement Program of the International Renaissance Foundation, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine openly ignores the needs of agencies of self-organization for improvement of national legislation regarding regulation of their status.
These agencies, which act at the level of neighborhoods, districts, streets and houses and represent interests of the population, are unable neither to get established, nor to carry out their responsibilities at present. The current Law of Ukraine “On the organs of self-organization of people”, which was adopted by Verkhovna Rada in 2001, brings more harm than help to such agencies.
The attempts to change the state of affairs in this field encounter resistance from the members of parliament. It is evidenced by the consideration of the bill No 2108 in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. On September 7, 2010, only 7 parliamentarians voted for this bill. At the same time, 398 members of parliament did not take part in the voting.
Participants of the press-conference presented the draft bill of the Law of Ukraine “On general meetings of members of territorial community according to place of residence”, which was developed by the Association for Promoting Self-organization of People and widely discussed with experts representing NGOs, state authorities and mass media at round tables in Kirovohrad, Donetsk, Lviv and Odesa, as well as at the Fifth All-Ukrainian conference on self-organization of population in Vinnytsia. After public discussion, the draft bill has been thoroughly elaborated.
Nataliya Mishyna, deputy head of the All-Ukrainian NGO “Association for Promoting Self-organization of People”, noted that the draft bill aims at regulating the oldest form of direct democracy, which will allow citizens and self-organization agencies to have a real impact on the solution of local problems and strengthen public control on the local level.
The absence of such law has generated protests of prosecution, litigation, and threatens the existence of self-organization agencies. This results in inefficient local management and aggravates social conflicts.
The draft bill of the Law of Ukraine “On general meetings of members of territorial community according to place of residence” will be soon submitted for consideration into the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Its consideration will be preceded by an intensive public lobbying campaign.
For detailed information contact: tel/fax (048) 738-68-30, e-mail: samoorg@ukr.net
Contact person: Vyacheslav Kishchenko.
