Source: Vinnytsia City Council

IMG_0627-ПаноOn January 16-17th, Vinnytsia hosted a study tour dedicated to the provision of high quality administrative services and operation of administrative service centers. The study tour took place in the framework of PLEDDG Project. The event saw a sharing of experience in open democratic governance, high quality administrative services provision, and operation of administrative service centers.

Vinnytsia’s Transparent Office is a unique integrated center for administrative services provision, where the widest range of services in Ukraine (563 services) is being provided, such as an issuance of passports, driving licenses, marriage certificates, etc.

The principles of Vinnytsia Transparent Office activity have become the underlying ones for legislative changes made in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Vinnytsia has become a role model for other cities across Ukraine. That is why Vinnytsia hosts so many delegations from various Ukrainian cities and shares its own story with them.

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The study tour participants enjoyed an opportunity to have a detailed discussion of the issues they were interested in and to learn more about the main trends in the development of administrative service centers, integration of the services, in particular, social services, as well as organizational and technical steps as to “introducing” passport services in administrative service centers.

Serhiy Morhunov, Vinnytsia Mayor, welcomed the study tour participants in the City Council conference hall. “I am glad to see the representatives of PLEDDG Project in Vinnytsia, with whom we have a smooth and effective cooperation: last year we were working together on a marketing strategy, and now we are working on a tourist strategy and branding of the city. As for administrative service centers, Vinnytsia is a leader in administrative services provision in Ukraine. We commenced our work in this area in 2007, with Volodymyr Groysman as the Mayor. It was not easy at first; however, now we are even rendering 563 services. 60 % of them are the services provided by central public bodies which are not subordinate to Vinnytsia City Council. This year, we purchased equipment required for the issuance of biometric passports, including foreign passports and ID cards. In general, since 2014, the legislative changes in Ukraine have been made on the basis of our experience. At the beginning, we were working independently in this area, we were making trips to adopt the experience from Slovakia, Germany, Austria, and Hungary. And then the legislated algorithm was developed on the basis of our groundwork. Over the last year, the Vinnytsia Transparent Office provided services to almost a million visitors. And those were not only Vinnytsia residents, people from the region and other cities are coming to us as well. We are ready to share our experience, and it is interesting for us to hear your good ideas, too”, – Serhiy Morhunov said.

Ihor Lepyoshkin, Senior Expert, Head of Experts Group, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to adopt Vinnytsia’s experience. “The work over improving administrative services provision in our projects takes quite an important place. For several years already, we have been conducting quality assessments of the services in Ukrainian cities, and we have got some leaders. We have decided that it will be interesting that the leaders share their experience with representatives from other cities. We take efforts to organize such study tours, giving an opportunity to have direct communication and have a look at how it all works. As for me, the political will of the management on improving of the activity of administration service centers is very important”, Ihor Lepyoshkin said.

IMG_0644Iryna Kopchuk, Director of Administrative Service Department of Vinnytsia City Council, reported on the operation of administrative service centers in Vinnytsia. Ihor Bryhilevych, PLEDDG consultant, made a point at the main trends in development of administrative service centers. After this, the study tour participants had a look at how the central Transparent Office in Vinnytsia operated.

On the roadmap, it is contemplated to discuss the algorithm for selection, adaptation, development of personnel of the centers, integration of socially-oriented services, visiting the departments at “Vyshenka” where social services are rendered, “Zamostia”, where civil registry office services are provided, and “Stare Misto”, where the services of vehicle registration are delivered and driving licenses are issued.