OREANDA-NEWS. December 12, 2008. Principal issues of improvement of administrative-territorial system of Ukraine were addressed in Ivano-Frankivsk with participation of the Minister of Regional Development and Building of Ukraine Vasyl Kuibida.

On December 12 the Ministry of Regional Development organized in Ivano-Frankivsk a seminar into improvement of administrative-territorial system and local self-governing which gathered heads of local state authorities and self-government bodies.

Making a statement to the participants Vasyl Kuibida stressed that introduction of European standards into all the spheres of life calls for an administrative reform, reform of local self-government, improvement of a system of raising qualification level of officials of local self-governing and deputies of local councils. He informed the Ministry of Regional Development had completed draft Concepts of the mentioned reforms.

“Development of rational spatial basis of organization of public power to ensure availability and quality of social and administrative services, effective use of public resources, sustainable development of all territories of Ukraine, ability to adequately response to the social and economic challenges appear an object of administrative-territorial reform in Ukraine,” the Minister underlined.

“The reform of local self-governing necessitates respective financial, economic maintenance. Ukraine lacks budget, fiscal reforms, realization of policy of financial decentralization, improvement of inter-budget relations with regards to financial filling of local budgets to provide the population with qualitative administrative and public services, introduction of legal status of communal property right, clear priorities in holding housing and communal reform, reform in education, health protection, pension domains,” Vasyl Kuibida emphasized.

He also added ideology of decentralizing of state governing, duties of central authorities, their deconcentration are realized in a number of draft laws commissioned for the Ministry’s of Regional Development elaboration. These are particularly a draft law “On administrative-territorial system of Ukraine”, new redactions of laws of Ukraine “On local self-governing”, “On local state administrations”.

“Nowadays we need a political will to carry out reforms, qualified cadres capable to realize the reforms, financial resources and a single coordinating centre,” the Minister urged.