Taking part in this event were Olha Bodnar, Committee First Vice Chairman; Yuriy Kliuchkovsky, Committee Vice Chairman; Serhiy Hordienko, Committee Secretary; Renate Wohlwend and Hanne Severinsen, Co-Rapporteurs of The PACE Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of The Council of Europe, Ivi-Triin Odrats, Secretary of The PACE Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of The Council of Europe; and Ake Peterson, Special Representative in Ukraine of The Secretary General of The Council of Europe.
Discussions during the meeting touched on relations between the Central Power and Regional Self-Government bodies, Constitutional Reform and the reforming of Local Self-Government in Ukraine, organisation and improvement of the Electoral System at National, Regional and Local level, and strengthening the control of adherence to the current Legislation of Ukraine by Local Governments.
The Committee First Vice Chairman, Olha Bodnar, drew The PACE Committee Delegates´ attention to the existing problems in the different areas of Local Self-Government in Ukraine. She reported on the legislative working of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the Committee, related to the implementation of The European Charter of Local Government.
According to Olha Bodnar, ‘Ukraine has to complete/finalise the creation of Self-Government based on a contemporary model, which will be in total compliance with The European Charter of Local Government. To this end, political reform should be finalised to create a fully-fledged Local Self-Government system, covering Regional and District Council levels, with such Councils granted the right to set up their own Executive bodies´.
The development of Local Self-Government, Olha Bodnar noted, has been defined as a priority for the working of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the 6th Convocation. The completion of the Constitutional Reform will lead to a re-division of authorities both at Central and Local levels.
It was also pointed out that once the Constitutional Reform is completed, the issue of the adoption of a new Base Law on Local Self-Government should be dealt with.
The People´s Deputies feel that the Committee should become a wide consolidating platform, bringing together the efforts of National Associations of Local Governments, and members of a representative group of the Municipal Community, aimed at strengthening the Ukrainian State and promoting the progress of Local and Regional Democracy along the strategic path of European integration.
The Committee Vice Chairman, Yuriy Kliuchkovsky, is of the opinion that Constitutional regulation alone is not enough to resolve the issues of Local Self-Government and fill Local Budgets, as amendments to Budgetary and Fiscal Legislation are also required.
He also made the PACE Co-Rapporteurs aware of the Electoral Legislation issues, pointing out two existing contradictions i.e. the problem of Imperative Mandate, and the Opposition. He thinks that following the last election, the issue of cooperation within Local Governments has become more topical since Councils are formed on a Proportional (Party) basis.
Hanne Severinsen of Pace, in her turn, inquired about Bills subject to urgent consideration by Parliament, the stability of Electoral Legislation, and the structure, organisation and creation of self-governing units.
Mrs Severinsen referred to the required improvements in the current system of organisation of power in Ukraine, on a territorial basis. She recommended that the Authorities and Responsibilities of Central and Local Authorities, and Self-Government bodies, are delineated and balanced, ‘Any overlapping of their functions should be excluded, and Local Government Authorities should, in several cases, be limited´. She also expressed her hope that The Committee would be able to reach a satisfactory conclusion in tackling this issue.
At the end of the meeting, Olha Bodnar assured Mrs Severinsen that a compromise between the political forces in Parliament, and between the Democratic Coalition and the Opposition in particular, will be achieved. She expressed her confidence in Ukraine´s continuing fulfilment of its commitments to PACE, and in Mrs Severinsen´s future and effective cooperation with this country.