On August 12, 2015 a panel discussion “Decentralization Reforms: Steps, Prospects, and Expected Results”, organized by Swiss-Ukrainian project “Decentralization support in Ukraine” (DESPRO), took place in the city of Zaporizhzhya.

Discussion participants included representatives of local self-government bodies of different levels from Zaporizhzhya oblast, executive authorities, non-governmental organizations, public sector, as well as local media. Similarly to previously held discussions, topics were divided into two parts: the first part concerned the latest amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine, which were evaluated by the Venice Commission and the Constitutional Court of Ukraine (to which they were presented by VRU), while the second part was dedicated to issues of territorial community amalgamation and informational support of the reform.

During the first panel most questions, posed by participants, concerned the role of a prefect and his cooperation with the public sector. The expert in this issue was Yuri Ganishchak, director of the Institute of development of territories. He said: “The principle of a prefect’s work is to make the local authority act legally. There should be cooperation between them, because a prefect does not analyze decisions and acts of the authority as to relevance and efficiency – this should be done by the public. A prefect analyzes exclusively the legality of the documents before they enter into force”. 

  Other speakers were:

·         Natalya ZABOLOTNA, Chief Administrator of “Narodny Zahyst” (“people’s protection”) public organization, head of Public council under Zaporizhzhya oblast state administration;

·         Leonid BEREZYNSKY, deputy head of Zaporizhzhya oblast state administration;

·         Oleksandr SVYSTUN, Head of Reform Office in Zaporizhzhya oblast;

·         Oleksandr BYLYM, head of Department of urban construction and architecture of Zaporizhzhya oblast state administration;

·         Oleksandr BABYCH, deputy of Zaporizhzhya oblast council;

·         Igor GNATUSHA, head ofKomysh-Zorya settlement council (Zaporizhzhya oblast).

It should be noted that a rather constructive discussion took place during the second panel. Particularly, the head of Zaporizhzhya Office for Reforms, Oleksandr Svystun, provided thorough answers to participants’ questions on the territorial community amalgamation process, and on the progress of adoption of the prospective plan of Zaporizhzhya oblast. 51 out of 69 communities in Zaporizhzhya oblast are considered capable ones by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. However, the oblast should extend its Prospective plan in order for 18 remaining communities to comply with the Methodology of capable territorial community formation and for the plan to be approved.

Particular interest was aroused by the speech of Komysh-Zorya settlement council head, representing the newly-formed unified community. The Council Head noted, that the most complicated task in implementation of reforms and in initiating something new was to change the community’s mentality, which, in some cases still followed post-Soviet patterns. “However, I decided to take the responsibility and start creating a new unified community”, Mr. Gnatusha noted.

 According to Mr. Bylym, preparation of the oblast’s Prospective plan, to considerable extent, depends on the activity of the citizens. Unfortunately, public interest and awareness in the oblast are not at the highest level.

Discussion results confirm again, that the public feels “informational hunger”, and needs similar activities, intended to raise the level of awareness of decentralization reforms. As Yuri Ganushchak put it, “The reform in Ukraine is bound to succeed”.