Five Ukrainian local authorities (Baranivka, Zytomir Oblast; Chernivtsi; Kreminna, Lugansk Oblast; Pervomaysk, Mykolaiv Oblast; and Fastiv, Kyiv Oblast) will receive financial and expert support to implement local initiatives aimed at making their governance more open, inclusive, responsive, transparent and accountable to citizens, whilst ensuring that gender perspective is taken into account. During the Forum for Local Democracy in Ukraine, which kicked off today in Snovjanka, Chernihiv region, the Head of the Council of Europe office in Ukraine, Marten Ehberg, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with each of the mayors of the five selected cities which will implement the initiatives. 'Democracy starts at the local level, - said Gudrun Mosler-Tornstrom, President of the Congress - and must meet these requirements to function effectively'. The Congress is glad to offer you, as local politicians, the structures and tools that will enable you to address and respond to the needs and to the requests of citizens.' These initiatives will be implemented 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. The project 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.
Local initiatives (English version)
Local initiatives (Ukrainian version)
Photos of the ceremony [Flickr]
Forum webpage