Partnership between authorities and civil society – the key to successful reforms: Oleksandr Korniienko
17 September 2025, 09:57
First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Korniienko took part in the V Forum on Legal Reforms for Civil Society «Unity of Action – Power of Change».
The anniversary Forum brought together a wide range of participants, including representatives of Parliament, Government, local authorities, international partners, civil society, business and human rights defenders.
A number of key issues were discussed: best practices for cooperation between civil society, business and government; the status of roadmap preparation and Ukraine's position in negotiations with the EU; assessment of government European integration bills and plans for their implementation after the renewal of the Government; the role of civil society in legal reforms and European integration; and the protection of human rights and the balance between security and freedoms, in particular the freedom of peaceful assembly in wartime.
A separate discussion was devoted to the provision of social services in Ukraine through cooperation between civil society organisations and the Ministry of Social Policy.
In his speech, Oleksandr Korniienko congratulated the participants of the anniversary Forum on its fifth anniversary, emphasising the importance of its history and role in the development of legal reforms and democratic institutions.
In addition, the First Deputy Speaker noted that Ukraine maintains a reliable level of civil liberties, provides a safe space for peaceful assemblies, and supports the initiatives of activists who, in particular, defend the rights of prisoners. Oleksandr Korniienko separately emphasised the importance of the institutional capacity of civil society organisations, particularly in wartime, as well as the importance of public support for the front lines and the home front.
The public plays a special role in Ukraine's path to European integration. «Many things that were developed jointly were included in the roadmaps for European integration. This is especially true of the roadmap for the functioning of democratic institutions, which I had the honour of working on personally as a member of the national negotiating team. Indeed, we held a very professional discussion with representatives of civil society in order to strengthen their institutional capacity,» he noted.
Oleksandr Korniienko is convinced that with the support of civil society and partners, effective implementation of reforms is much easier to achieve. According to him, the active participation of civil society is very important for the implementation of roadmaps for European integration and ensuring the timely implementation of necessary reforms.
«Parliament is open to dialogue. After all, we must act together. And civil society is truly a force for effective change for the state,» emphasised the First Deputy Speaker, noting the importance of proper communication support for reforms and European integration initiatives so that Ukrainians understand the purpose and significance of the changes being implemented.