The Congress developed peer to peer workshops for mayors and councillors, which are successfully organised in Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and Armenia. “Politicians want to learn – but they do not want to be taught,” explained Andreas Kiefer’s, Congress Secretary General, in a round table on “Decentralisation of powers and development of local democracy” organised on 30 June 2017 by the Ukrainian Ministry of regional development, construction, housing and communal services of Ukraine in Khyriv, Lviv Oblast. This round table followed a meeting of the Task Force on Ukraine of the European Committee of the Regions. More than 100 mayors and councillors from the Lviv Oblast discussed the current reform process presented by Deputy Minister Vyacheslav Nehoda. On behalf of the Congress, Andreas Kiefer informed about the common challenges and “recurring issues” in the context of the implementation of the European Charter of Local Self-Government that Ukraine ratified in 1997. The Congress is committed to empowering the new generation of politicians who are mostly keen on change. Since 2015 some 120 mayors and 195 local councillors strengthened their institutional and leadership capacities. Debates revolve around the principles of local self-government and good governance, the current decentralisation reform and experience with amalgamation, measures to increase the transparency and accountability of local authorities.

Agenda
Web page: Co-operation activities Ukraine
Co-operation activities of the Congress in Ukraine (2015-2017)
Leaflet 'Promoting local democracy in Ukraine'