Local Government Transfer into the Process of Ukraine's European Integration: Achievements of Communities and Losses of the Executive Branch of Power

Abstract

The obligations assumed by the Ukrainian state by ratifying theassociation agreement between Ukraine and the European Union havebecome a reference point for transformations taking place in variousspheres of public life, including local self-government. The article analyzesUkraine's compliance with EU requirements regarding local self-government organisation, achievements in this field, and determining theprospects for reform. The analysis is grouped into four blocks:implementation of administrative and territorial reform; budgetdecentralisation; optimization of the organization of local public authorities(executive bodies formation of regional (oblast) and district (rayon)councils, the establishment of prefectures); land reform (transfer of landmanagement to communities). The powers of local self-government bodiesand state bodies were transformed in implementing municipal, territorial,fiscal and land reforms. However, further reforms are impossible withoutamendments to the Constitution of Ukraine (regarding the decentralisationof power), the adoption of new legislative acts (on the principles of theadministrative-territorial structure of Ukraine, on prefectures), as well asamendments to some existing ones (on local self-government, etc.)