Local Self-Governance Forum in Lviv: Event for Those Who Influence on Pace and Development of Local Self-governance Reform

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Source – City Institute

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For the seventh time already Lviv has hosted the All-Ukrainian Local Self-Governance Forum, which has gathered more than 250 participants from all over Ukraine.
An annual conference, the Local Self-Governance Forum is the territory where experience is shared, discussions and analysis of topical issues and prospects in local self-governance take place.

During the forum numerous discussions were held with key experts in various sectors, including decentralization. In the framework of the forum a round table of the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on state building, regional policy and local self-governance was held, as well as interactive debates involving the forum participants. Participants discussed the subsequent phase of decentralization, reforming of Ukrainian regional public bodies. A panel discussion was also held, with special attention to the discussion on how to convert decentralization into improvement of peoples’ life quality in territorial communities. An important part of the forum was presentation of the results of the all-national sociological research of the Ukrainians’ sentiments in terms of the tempos and results of decentralization reforms.

Svitlana Bula, associate professor of political science department of I.Franko LNU:

Each Ukrainian citizen shall influence on decentralization reform, because our community is our home indeed. Everyone must be involved in municipal improvement and activity of a community. What is the tradition in Ukraine? If we choose power, whether it is regional, local, or central one, – they must do everything for us. Indeed, we must launch changes by ourselves, and start out with ourselves! Then, respectively, we must control power. This forum is a very good form of sharing experience, communication with various representatives of various local self-governance areas, from theoretical and practical points of view. One can hear new ideas, new vision, and find a way to implement their ideas.

Ihor Semyvolos,, expert of the Association of Middle East Studies:

Any similar events like this are very useful because of the opportunity to share thoughts and ideas for Ukraine directly. Decentralization phenomenon is absolutely new: there are more questions rather than answers; that is why during such discussions one may learn something useful and then try to apply it within their scope of competence. The decentralization reform is influenced by those who live in communities, and they surely have a direct impact on the reform, and the best way to influence thereon is to be actively involved in activity of communities’ life.

Oleksandr Kobzarev, Director of City Institute, makes a point on that the self-governance topic is one of the most relevant issues for development of our country. Local self-governance incorporates the basis of all economic and social transformations of the country, with cities’ having a leading role such as improvement of citizens’ life and democracy establishment.

Ihor Parasiuk, PhD in Economics, Director of USAID “PULSE”:

Given the success of decentralization reform and creation of more than 800 amalgamated territorial communities covering nearly 36% of the Ukrainian territory with about quarter of Ukrainian population, where the majority of amalgamated territorial communities fairly demonstrate the best financial and economic results as compared to “previous village councils”, it should be born in mind that the reform has been far from successful completion yet. That is why such fora enable interested parties to discuss subsequent reform development phases. Such events allow for uniting efforts and find like-minded people for joint action.

It should be mentioned that the agenda of this year’s forum was developed with participation of the experts in local self-governance development, leading public activists of this sector, and international partners to the forum.

The organizers and forum partners are City Institute ME, Lviv City Council, Lviv Regional Department of Association of Ukrainian Cities, PLEDDG Project, GIZ, “Reform of Municipal Services in Eastern Ukraine II” German and Ukrainian Project, PULSE Project, and the Association of Ukrainian Cities.



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