Mayors of Eastern Ukraine exchange on local democracy

Kharkiv, Ukraine, 1 February 2017

25 mayors from four regions in Eastern Ukraine (Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Luhansk) shared their experience in the framework of a two-day workshop “Mayors, Leaders for Change”. They discussed the challenges of being a mayor, ethical behaviour and conflicts of interest, as well as new ways to involve more citizens in local affairs.

“Being a mayor is not a job but a mission! You need to engage all stakeholders and work together towards change” - stated Vladimir Prebilič (Slovenia, PAP-NPS), member of the Congress, Mayor of Kočevje, when sharing his experience on ethical dilemmas in decision-making and on the importance of citizen dialogue. 

Mayors also discussed institutional and legal issues related to the decentralisation reform and to the amalgamation process. Particular focus was made on the challenges faced by Ukrainian local authorities in the context of reforms, the scope of their responsibilities, the efficient management of financial resources, and co-operation between different levels of power.

This workshop was organised by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe within the project “Promoting local democracy in Ukraine”, which is part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine 2015-2017.  

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.

Contact:

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