DECENTRALIZATION IN UKRAINE: THEORETICAL AND LEGAL FOUNDATIONS

Abstract

The paper studies the main regulatory and legal foundations of the decentralization reform in Ukraine, its state and prospects for development. It was determined that decentralization is a process of redistribution of power and authority between the central government and local government bodies, as well as local self-government bodies, which is aimed at increasing the efficiency of management of various spheres of the economy and social life of society. It was found that the reform of local self-government based on a decentralized basis is recognized as one of the most effective reforms initiated by the government. It was established that the main measures of decentralization reform include the development of conceptual principles of reform in the spheres of education, health care and social protection, improvement of the regulatory and legal support of the reform process, increasing the responsibility of local self-government bodies for adopted and implemented decisions, conducting explanatory work and provision of consulting services to territorial communities. It was determined that in the period from 2014 to 2016, a significant amount of legislative and regulatory acts in the field of decentralization of power, focused on the formation of capable territorial communities, budgetary decentralization and optimization of the distribution of powers, was developed and implemented, which will contribute to strengthening the functional and financial capacity of local self-government. It was determined that the state strategy in the field of decentralization provided for the transfer of an important part of powers, resources and responsibilities to local self-government bodies, focusing on the needs of territorial communities and relevant international standards. It was revealed that in June 2020, the Government approved a new structure of the administrative-territorial organization of the basic level, which provided for the creation of 1,469 territorial communities, covering the entire territory of Ukraine. In July 2020, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine decided to liquidate 490 old districts and create 136 new ones. It has been established that for the further development of the legislative framework of the reform, it is necessary to adopt a number of important laws, including those defining the principles of the administrative and territorial system of Ukraine, regulating service in local self-government bodies, supervision of the legality of decisions of local self-government bodies, local referendums and updating the legislation on local self-government and local state administrations.