26 August 2010, 16:36
Liquidation of District Councils in Kyiv is only Prospective, Volodymyr Lytvyn
Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, doubts that the Parliament will adopt the resolution on liquidation of district councils in Kyiv by the start of the local elections. "It is a long-term issue," the Head of the Parliament stated at the briefing, commenting on the appeal of Kyiv City Council to The Verkhovna Rada with a request to authorize the municipal authorities to optimize the executive chain of command in the capital. V.Lytvyn reminded that the election campaign shall start on 11 September 2010, so he doubts that the Parliament will be able to pass the resolution by that time. "The campaign being launched, nobody will liquidate district councils, as it is non-democratic," he stated.
V.Lytvyn supposes that politicians and authorities shall have a clear-cut vision of the administrative and territorial reform in Ukraine. "I believe that the Law of Ukraine "On the Capital of Ukraine City-Hero Kyiv" should be revised and amended to present a clear system of authority organization subordinate to the public," the Head of the Parliament stated. He also deems necessary to cut down the administrative apparatus. Volodymyr Lytvyn believes that simultaneous work of district and municipal office with the same authorities duplicates their functions and raises the expenses for the administrative personnel. "The second largest clause of the state budget concerns the expenses for the public administration, which is inadmissible," he stated.
V.Lytvyn believes that the initiative of Kyiv City Council should not provoke any harsh criticism, complaints and requests. "There is only an appeal of Kyiv City Council to The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine with a request to scrutinize this issue," he stated. However, V.Lytvyn supposes that there is no need to amend the law on the capital urgently. "Yes, there is a problem. However, liquidation of district councils in Kharkiv or other cities did not draw so much attention. The administration system shall be optimized with the participation of the public," the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stated.
Asked whether this resolution will get sufficient support in the Parliament, V.Lytvyn declared: "The Verkhovna Rada will have enough voices, will and responsibility to revise the Law of Ukraine "On the Capital of Ukraine City-Hero Kyiv" and pass up-to-date provisions for the officials to understand that they shall realize public will in compliance with the national standards. The Verkhovna Rada has enough capacity for this," the Head of the Ukrainian Parliament stated.
The provision, under which the head of the district council automatically becomes the head of the district state administration, should also be excluded from the Law on Kyiv. "This issue should correspond to the all-Ukrainian practice. Kyiv should be no exception. In due time, it took place for the benefit of the mayor who automatically assumed the authorities of the head of the state administration. It should be regulated," V.Lytvyn stated.