01 April 2016, 15:35
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine plans to approve the law on passing the control over the lands located within and outside of population centers to the unified territorial communities and communities that had not yet been unified. It will guarantee the communities' right to manage own resources.
Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman said this in his interview for the Rada TV Channel on Friday.
Groysman noted that the draft law elaborated along with people's deputies of Ukraine will envision "authorization of all the unified territorial community to run the lands within and outside population centers of respective community."
"This decision is historic. We have several weeks to adopt this law and transfer the land under control of the communities. The communities must [obtain] the right to operate their resources," the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada said.
Besides, the draft law envisions transfer of all lands within yet-non-unified territorial communities under control of village councils. "That means that every village council will manage own land within and outside of population centers. Previously, all the control had been in hands of the officials of the State Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre Service," the Chairperson of the Ukrainian Parliament said.
Groysman noted that two years have passed since the moment of the adoption of the local self-government reform in Ukraine, and reminded that he was one of its authors and initiators. "Since that moment, a real fight for local self-government has been underway. I believe that this is a key reform able to return levers of influence for state bodies to the citizens," the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada said.
According to Groysman, so far, considerable authorities have been transferred to the local level, in particular, the ones touching the registration of business and provision of administrative services. Besides, in 2015, financial decentralization also took place, which expanded earnings of local budgets by 40%. "That means that communities already have the right to demand construction of roads, pavements, kindergartens, schools, etc. There is the resource there to guarantee the development of local economy and creation of jobs," the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada said.
Besides, Ukraine has created a basis for the unification of territorial communities and a total of 159 communities were established last year. This week ten more communities have held their elections, Groysman reminded. "Of course, they will face certain challenges, however, they will manage and become stronger," the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada noted.