Odesa, 15 June 2017 – A three-day workshop organised in Odessa, from 13 to 15 June, by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, gathered together 32 councillors from 7 Southern and Eastern regions of Ukraine. Discussions focused on their engagement and priorities to develop their communities, as well as on ways to enhance trust of citizens. Notably, they had the opportunity to share their experience in implementing initiatives on local democracy with experts from Ireland, Lithuania and Ukraine. As Sergiy Mazur, member of the Congress (Ukraine, CRE-ECR), pointed out: “Exchanging good practices with councillors from other European countries is key for Ukrainian local councillors to succeed in creating resilient communities”.

This workshop was 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