Addressing the first meeting of European Committee of the Regions Working Group on Ukraine on 18 November 2021, Congress Secretary General Andreas Kiefer reaffirmed “the continuous support of the Congress to Ukrainian mayors and councillors and to national authorities in making the democratic achievements and local self-government reforms sustainable.”
“The meeting today is a good opportunity to confirm the long-standing dialogue, political, legal and practical co-operation between the Congress and the Ukrainian authorities”, he stated while encouraging all stakeholders to continue on the path of reforms and innovation. He also highlighted the complementarity and the synergies between the Congress and the Committee of the Regions and presented the results of Congress co-operation activities in the field of open government.
The meeting organised in a hybrid mode, and chaired by Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Mayor of Gdansk (Poland), brought together representatives of the Ukrainian Government, local and regional authorities and their national associations, members of the Committee of the Regions and stakeholders who work in Ukraine to enhance transparency and civic participation. They discussed the state of local democracy in Ukraine, the challenges faced by local and regional authorities, as well as their achievements in the field transparency and prevention of corruption.
