Legal and Conceptual Foundations of the Decentralization Process in Ukraine (2014-2020)

Abstract

The goal of the article is to research on the legal and conceptual framework of decentralization processes in Ukraine. A set of reforms aimed at decentralizing the power in Ukraine began to be implemented since 2014. This is not the first attempt of changing the system of Public administration in favour of strengthening up local Self-governments, but the last one is the most successful. The effectiveness of the reforms depends primarily on the preparation of a solid legal and theoretical foundation on which the decentralization has been grounded. This article considers the legal and conceptual principles of decentralization processes in Ukraine in 2014-2020 and their meaning for Ukraine’s state prospect and resilience.
The authors analysed in details the legal and conceptual framework, which identified the main features of a set of reforms launched to decentralize power and ensure their duly implementation. It is proved that this topic does not lose its relevance despite significant progress in the implementation of reforms under circumstances of Russian-Ukrainian war as far as the regulatory framework for decentralization still has to be finalized and adjusted. So over time there remains an urgent need for a more complete and systematic study of those reforms, and their further perspective.
To deploy decentralization reforms, some laws were adopted and existing regulations were amended to enable decentralization in practice (amendments to the Budget and Customs Codes, adoption of a Law on voluntary amalgamation of local communities etc.). Also, the reforms were supported by a theoretical basis, first of all by the concept on reforming local self-government and territorial organization of power in Ukraine, elaborated methodology of making self-sustainable territorial communities, grounded on the principals of the European Charter of Local Self-Government.