4 July 2017 - The interplay between targeted co-operation programmes and Congress' statutory activities, namely monitoring of the European Charter of Local Self-Government and election observation, was underlined by President Gudrun Mosler-Törnström at the opening of the Forum for Local Democracy in Ukraine on 4 July 2017 in Snovjanka , Chernihiv Region. She stressed the importance of decentralisation and devolution of powers and financial means for the further democratic progress of Ukraine and pointed to the specific role of mayors, councillors and young leaders in this process. “Several reforms to strengthen local democracy have been implemented by the Ukrainian authorities since 2014,” she reminded. “However, genuine decentralisation does not entail only changes in legislation. It requires local and regional authorities to receive specific capacity-building, and it requires the diffusion of accurate information on reforms towards all stakeholders of local governance and towards citizens. This is the aim of the activities implemented by the Congress, based on peer exchanges,” explained the Congress President.

Addressing the participants of the Forum, Vladyslav Atroshenko, Mayor of Chernihiv and Congress member, welcomed the platform of exchanges promoted by the Congress, which enables local democracy practitioners to strengthen each other. The Forum for Local Democracy in Ukraine will gather during four days mayors, councillors, young local leaders and experts to exchange on how to enhance local governance and citizen participation.

Forum is organised in the framework of the project “Promoting local democracy in Ukraine”, which is part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine 2015-2017. It aims to improve the implementation of democratic principles in Ukraine, by enhancing the institutional and leadership capacities of local elected representatives (mayors and local councillors), and disseminating nation-wide good practices of local democracy.

Ukraine joined the Council of Europe on 9 November 1995, ratified the European Charter of Local Self-Government on 11 September 1997 and its Additional Protocol on the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority on 2 September 2014. Countries which have ratified the Charter are bound by its provisions. The Charter imposes compliance with a minimum number of rights and principles, which are the European bedrock of local self-government. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe ensures respect for these principles.

Contacts:

Marité Moras, Head of Unit, Co-operation and External Relations Department, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Tel: +33 3 88 41 22 33

Svitlana Gryshchenko, Project Manager, Council of Europe Office in Kyiv, Tel: +380 96 340 13 83

Link to the page devoted to Forum at the Congress of local and regional authorities website