The road of changes: European experience of self-government reformation for Donetsk region

The discussion happened this year on October, 27 in the city of Kramatorsk in Donetsk region. The main idea of this event was the experience of Euro integration in Lithuania as the most powerful instrument for the reformation of local self-government in Donbas. The reviews and thematic discussion were conducted during this event. They all were about the reformation in local self-government for Donetsk region, which is in the deep economic and social crisis.

„The reforms in local self-gornment and decentralization of athorities are important steps for Ukrainian European future. The adoption of succesful reforms of modern local athorities would make the implementation easier. We chose Lithuanian experience because this country started from the same point where we are now – Lithuania had the status of the post soviet country with its dependence from Russia energetically and economically  having no other outlet market but Russia. Today the situation had changed and Lithuania succesfully implemented reforms which are necessful for Ukraine today“, - noted Nataliia Kazionnova, project head of East European Cooperation organization.

During the social event, possibilities of reformation and realities of Ukrainian local self-governments were discussed. Experts from different Ukrainian regions together with Arnoldas Abramavicius – the expert and the vice president of the European Union regional committee who also overspread his activity across Ukraine, positioned their points. The participants of this social event got familiarised with the European experience and got the provisions for their own regions.

 

„There is a principle of multilevel governance In Europe – united European, state governance and the local regional governance which is cooperating efficiently not just with the state governance but with the EU parliament and the Euro Committee as well. On the parlamentiary level, this support is important as the state is not always attentive to the local governance. Moreover, the EU regional politics is directed at aligning consumer opportunities between bigger and smaller subjects. Therefore this indicator is 143% in Vilnius region,and 57% - in Taurage, from the everage GDP in Lithuania. I believe, Ukraine has to reach this indicator“, - noted Arnoldas Abramavicius.

Additionally, the expert noted that the reforms in local self-governance in Lithuania was done in 1995. „We canceled the lowest local governance level. Out of 600 subjects 56 municipalities were formed and they are headed by one mayor. He chooses local eldership. In 2009 the same reform was made in Latvia. They had 595 unifications, 119 of which survived. Nearly 23 thousand residents fall for one local governance. The lowest number is 8 thousand people. Otherwise, there will be not enough economical resources for union development, and this is the main thing which forms a self-dependant subject. We have to understand that the road of reforms is a long process and takes much more than one year to make things change“ – says the vice president of the EU regions committee.

The head of Donetsk social organisation „The agency of local government development“ Valeriy Kochiuev, noted that local government reform is one of the most succesful reforms carried out in Ukraine „In the Ukrainian relities, government decentralization is the necessity, especially if we are talking about Ukrainian villages and old industrial regions. Today administration is proud of the first changes – the income to the local government budget has grown to 39%, however, it refers to the bigger cities. In fact, the associations that needed support did not get anything. This is not because state government can not afford to provide them with money, but because not every region has taxes instruments. For example, if there is no gas station in a village, than association of this vilage will not get resources from the gas station taxes. That is why, the territorial association unions are the instrument, thanks to which the opportunities could be realised, but they have to do this on their own“, - noted Valeriy Kochiuev.

Over 30 representatives of social organisations, journalists and social activists from Donetsk region took part in this event.

The project is funded by the Program of development, cooperation and support of democracy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania.