In his interview for the Rada TV channel on Friday, Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Volodymyr Groysman noted that to ensure a number of fundamental aspects in the system of local self-government, the amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine have to be adopted. "There should be no substitution of local self-government functions by the state power," he said.
He reminded that the offered draft new constitution "envisions comprehensiveness of local self-government." He said that means constitutional guarantees for a part of the national taxes, establishment of executive committees through election of regional and districts councils, which is destined to increase the trust in the authorities and responsibility of local authorities."
On the other hand, Groysman said "the system of quality services will be intensified in regions, which will improve the living standards and the level of economy, which in turn gradually will increase salaries, create jobs, decrease the number of different problems — that's all only the beginning."
The Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada noted that the Polish success was determined by a high-quality reform of the local self-government. "This is a key. If we want to build kindergartens, construct roads, create jobs, improve living standards, decrease gas consumption, modernize boiler houses, create additional conditions for quality education, etc, — we need the decentralization!" Groysman said.
At the same time, he noted that there are certain opponents to the idea of the decentralization. In his words, the those may ruin the whole constitutional process. "We are strengthening the state, we are starting real movement to the European Union," Groysman said.