Ukraine's interim president and parliament speaker, Oleksandr Turchynov, has instructed the government to draft and submit to the Verkhovna Rada a bill that would decentralize power and significantly expand the powers of local communities.
According to the document, the Cabinet of Ministers was instructed to
prepare, submit and organize support in the Verkhovna Rada for bills on
holding in Ukraine local government reform and organizing power in the
regions, envisaging a significant decentralization of power and the
expansion of the powers of local communities, the formation of the
executive agencies by local councils, the extension of material and
financial framework for local government, and effective mechanisms for
public participation in making local government decisions.
The decree states that respective laws should be adopted within three months.
In addition, according to the decree, Ukraine will set up a working
group consisting of representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers, MPs (by
consent), representatives of the Association of Ukrainian Cities (by
consent), and delegated representatives of local government and the
public. The working group is created to coordinate positions on
legislative amendments in the reform of local government authorities and
the organization of power in the regions.
The decree comes into force from the date of its publication.
