02 March 2010, 12:56
Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, registered the Bill "On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On Elections of Deputies of The Verkhovna Rada of the Crimean Autonomous Republic, Local Councils and Village, Township and City Mayors (re Composition of the Local Self-Government Bodies) (Reg. No. 6128) at the Parliament. The Bill reduces the size of the deputy corps of the local councils of all levels.
M.Tomenko commented upon the significance of this Bill. He stated that the effective Law "On Elections of Deputies of The Verkhovna Rada of the Crimean Autonomous Republic, Local Councils and Village, Township and City Mayors" envisaged that the composition of the local council shall be fixed by the council itself within the limits of minimum and maximum legitimate value for the settlements (or districts and regions) with a certain number of population. However, M.Tomenko stated that "in practice, this provision caused misapplication, as the local councils are fixing their composition at the top allowed limit".
The Deputy Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stated that this Bill envisaged a fixed number of deputies of the local councils depending on the number of population residing in a corresponding settlement or in the corresponding administrative-territorial unit.
M.Tomenko is convinced that the Bill shall eliminate subjective factor in the determination of the composition of the local self-government bodies. "Reduction of the deputy corps in the local councils will total 25% or more than 60 thousand deputies. It will curtail the expenditures for the activity of the local self-government bodies, enhance efficiency and quality of decision-making process and facilitate implementation of tasks for the benefit of the local communities", - the author of the Bill stressed.
M.Tomenko believes that the Bill is a response to the numerous appeals of public organizations and experts regarding inflated deputy corps.