Draft Constitutional Reform prepared locally submitted for nationwide discussion

The draft of the Constitutional reform, prepared as a result of public consultations "Through consensus to the change of the Constitution of Ukraine in the part of decentralization" with representatives of all-Ukrainian associations of local self-government, was submitted for nationwide discussion. This is said in the general communiqué of the authors of the draft.

It is noted that the draft differs significantly from draft law No.2598 on amendments to the Constitution in terms of decentralization of Ukraine, which was critically received by representatives of local government and became the starting point for public consultations.

The proposed alternative draft of amendments to the Constitution implements the provisions and principles of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, the principles of subsidiarity and finally consolidates the reform of decentralization.

It is proposed to fully state nine articles of the Constitution in the new edition. The key changes are introduction of communities as new administrative-territorial units, a territorial basis for local self-government and its original entity.

Also, a new administrative-territorial structure is fixed in the project. Instead of state administrations, it is proposed to create prefectures, for which only the functions of administrative supervision remain. At the same time, oblast and regional councils should receive their own executive bodies.

According to the project, communities are entitled to sufficient financial resources, which they can freely dispose of. The main right that communities will receive should be the right to freely resolve issues of local importance that are not transferred to the competence of other bodies. The state reserves only the functions of administrative supervision, which are implemented through the prefects.

REFERENCE. Subsidiarity is the principle of organization and activity of the state and other institutions, according to which the higher authorities can take upon themselves the solution of those tasks that the lower ones cannot fulfill and should help the latter in maintaining their independence.