Ukrainian
society needs well-organized, community-oriented local authorities. Volodymyr
Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, made this statement at the
International Conference "Local Self-Government Reform: Domestic and
International Experience" in Vinnytsia.
He stated that representation of The Verkhovna Rada at the conference shows how important this event is. "Organization of power in the future should be based on the local self-government," the Head of the Parliament stated.
However, V.Lytvyn believes that reforms can be implemented in the sectors which require drastic transformations. "Precaution should be taken in the local self-government reform," he stated.
According to the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ukraine´s integration to Europe is one of the few generally agreed upon vectors. "Thus, we should study the organization of power in Europe, as local self-government is a key element of civil society, and the form of decentralization of state authorities used in democratic countries."
V.Lytvyn informed that local self-government in Ukraine dates back to 1990. In 1997, the Parliament ratified the European Charter of Local Self-Government. Ukraine has thus assumed the obligation to harmonize domestic laws with the Charter, confirming its dedication to the principles and goals of democratic development and civil society.
The Head of the
Parliament stressed that it is the local self-government bodies that implement
state power and state policy, so the state shall properly fund the local
self-government. He believes that all territorial communities should be allowed
to participate in state administration and influence the decision-making.
V.Lytvyn stressed that reforms of the community life, especially health care and education, should not be limited by optimization of school network or the number of school buses.
Summing up, the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine remarked that the model of local self-government in Ukraine is not efficient. "I have to admit that building of the local self-government system in the independent Ukraine was one of the most complicated areas of democratic transformations," he stated. However, V.Lytvyn believes that the best international experience and national traditions with help Ukraine overcome the challenges and improve the system of local authority.