04 December 2015, 14:15
The local governments associations have to be the drivers of the decentralization reform in Ukraine.
Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Volodymyr Groysman said this at the meeting of the National Reforms Council on Friday.
Groysman noted that the work on the enhancement of positions of local self-government, de-usurpation of power, "restoration of budget justice," return of powers to the local level had been underway this year. At that he noted that the President of Ukraine, Prime Minister, Parliament and the Government supported the decentralization reform.
"This enables us to combine efforts to introduce effective decisions. We have sufficient number of tasks for the future. We have to continue creating the mechanisms to raise the efficiency of the local self-government," the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada said.
To this extent, Groysman pointed out the draft law "On amendments to Constitution of Ukraine" touching the decentralization of power, which envisions enshrinement of the expansion of rights of the local self-government bodies in the Basic Law. The Chairperson of the Ukrainian Parliament stressed that all political forces had to unite around the adoption of this draft law.
"The struggle for effective local self-government is only starting. Essentially, [the local self-government] is the government, which is the closest to the people and has respective level of trust," the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada said. He added that on the way to reformation of the government, creation of proper system of government, the local governments associations "have to be enhanced in their abilities, play a key expert part, determine the goals and priorities for the government."
"Our strategic task is to create for every community in Ukraine self-sufficient community, having the full set of instruments to provide quality services to people in all fields," Groysman said. "Nothing will happen without your participation. It is very important for you to be the drivers of the required changes. I call on you to unite, to cooperate and act jointly," the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada said.