Local councillors in Ukraine consider trust and transparency to be the key to building strong communities

Poltava (Ukraine), 7-8 September 2016 - 28 local councillors from the Kiev, Cherkassy, Kirovohrad and Poltava regions gathered to discuss their powers and functions in the framework of the decentralisation reform, and the challenges they face in their everyday activities as local politicians. They exchanged with peer Congress members and experts from Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. “The joint work of the municipality with the population contributes to building trust” stated Nino Zurabishvili, Member of the Congress (Georgia, SOC) when presenting her experience of supporting the community in identifying their needs and of ensuring that they can contribute to the implementation of local initiatives.

This two-day workshop was inspirational for promoting transparent decision-making and sharing ideas and practices such as the introduction of participatory budgeting in Poltava or cross-community engagement: “We involve different stakeholders in our projects - councillors, NGOs, educational institutions, churches and business - to change the way our city looks and to educate about democratic practices” shared one participant who is involved in the European Local Democracy Week through the project “Fastiv - city of flowers”.

The seminar was organised in the framework of the “Promoting local democracy in Ukraine” project, 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 the Co-operation Activities Unit, 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 50 45 23 118