Clear delineation of powers between state and local self-government bodies based on the principle of subsidiarity is one of the important and complex tasks of the new decentralisation phase. Finally, we approached its solution, and by the end of the year we should propose new editions of the laws “On Local Self-Government in Ukraine” and “On Local State Administrations”, as well as other legislation defining the powers of local self-government bodies and local executive bodies.

This was informed by Vyacheslav Nehoda, First Deputy Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services, at the meeting on the organisation of work aimed at relevant draft laws’ elaboration.

According to him, MinRegion establishes a working group that will analyse the powers of executive authorities and local self-government bodies in various spheres, as well as provide these powers with finances. And by the end of July, the working group should propose the conceptual foundations of the new editions of the aforementioned draft laws.

“Unfortunately, we cannot be sure that in the coming year, as expected, the Parliament will adopt amendments to the Constitution in terms of decentralisation. Therefore, we will focus on the current Constitution, which also gives many opportunities for differentiating powers on the principle of subsidiarity. The task of holding the next local elections on the new territorial basis of hromadas and rayons remains unchanged for us. And this is impossible without a clear delineation of competencies at these levels,” said Vyacheslav Nehoda.

He noted that government officials, representatives of oblast state administrations, associations of local self-government bodies and experts would be involved in drafting laws.

International partners – the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine and the U-LEAD with Europe Programme – will provide support to the Ministry in draft laws’ elaboration.

As it was prior reported, proper representation of hromadas in local councils should be ensured before the next local elections.