Agro Perspectiva

Kovalchuk on decentralization: regional strategies, mechanism of commumities' voluntary unification and post of headman in villages

13.03.2015 09:17 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) — The laws adopted by the Ukrainian President «On Principles of State Regional Policy» and «On Voluntary Unification of Territorial Communities» are important steps on the way towards decentralization, President Petro Poroshenko Press Office says referring to the First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Vitaliy Kovalchuk report. Kovalchuk admits the President has been repeatedly emphasizing that decentralization was one of the main tasks of the government. Kovalchuk reminds that the experience of Poland had been taken as a basis for the elaboration of mechanisms of decentralization. The first steps in this issue were the amendments to the Budget Code made in the late 2014. As to the report, the Law signed by the President on March 1 "On Principles of State Regional Policy" defines new priorities in the development of regions, among which are efficient usage of internal potential of the regions, stimulation and support to local initiatives, reducing the gap between the living standards of people in different regions and improving regional competitiveness. Besides, the Law signed by the President on March 3 "On Voluntary Unification of Territorial Communities" defines a mechanism of voluntary unification of territorial communities, which didn’t exist earlier. «The establishment of powerful, self-sufficient and independent territorial communities is an important part of decentralization,» Vitaliy Kovalchuk said. The First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration also focuses the attention on the establishment of the institute of headmen. A headman shall be elected in villages and urban-type settlements by the decision of the local council for a term of its office and shall represent the interests of villagers in the executive body of the local council of the united territorial community. He shall also take part in the preparation of the budget of the territorial community in the part related to the funding of programs on the territory of respective village. Besides, Kovalchuk also emphasizes that decentralization means the transfer of certain powers of the central bodies to the territorial communities. First of all it is related to budget powers. «Decentralization has nothing in common with federalization. Ukraine was, is and will be a unitary state,» Kovalchuk stresses. As it is known, over 85% of Ukrainians stand for the unitary Ukraine. Thus, Kovalchuk emphasizes that decentralization will never affect such spheres as defense, national security, foreign policy, struggle against corruption, compliance with the rights and freedoms of citizens and territorial integrity of Ukraine.