G7 ambassadors make sharp comment on the Presidential Office’s intention to dismiss Klitschko
Ukraine’s development should be built on the basis of successfully implemented decentralization reforms, working hand in hand with local self-government, according to a report by Channel 24.
This postulate was expressed by the ambassadors of the G7 countries during a meeting with representatives of the Association of Ukrainian Cities, against the backdrop of the situation with the suspension of Chernihiv Mayor Atroshenko and attempts to remove Klitschko from the post of head of the Kyiv City State Administration.
“An effective, inclusive revival of Ukraine must include engagement with elected local officials and build on the positive impact of Ukraine’s critical decentralization reforms,” reads a tweet from the G7 Ambassadors Support Group in Kyiv, chaired by Japan.
1/2
G7 Ambassadors joined members of the Association of Ukrainian Cities to hear their views on local participation in planning and achieving 🇺🇦’s reforms and reconstruction.– G7AmbReformUA (@G7AmbReformUA) July 5, 2023
TheDzerkalo Tyzhnia magazine emphasizes that this is“a significant signal against the backdrop of the central government’s constant pressure on local self-government in Ukraine.”
“The situation in Chernihiv, where the appointed military administration is trying to take over the powers of the local council after the dismissal of Mayor Atroshenko; the conflict with Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, when, in the context of the search for those responsible for the tragedy behind the locked doors of the bomb shelter, Bankova (ed. – Office of the President of Ukraine) does not reject the idea of dismissing Klitschko from the post of head of the Kyiv City State Administration; the government’s ignoring the law on the foundations of regional policy in terms of developing the necessary bylaws when planning post-war reconstruction work in Ukraine; the lack of a common position between the center and local governments on the draft law 5655 on urban reform, which the European Parliament did not support in its resolution” – Dzerkalo Tyzhnia lists examples of pressure on local government.
In the light of the European Parliament’s resolution and the G7’s reaction, it is important to understand that the success of Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration is directly linked to the further implementation of decentralization reform, the publication concludes.
In addition to the above, the G7 diplomats held a meeting with AUC representatives. The main purpose of the meeting was to study the views of local governments on their role in the recovery and implementation of reforms in Ukraine, according to representatives of the G7 ambassadors.
In the context of the aforementioned events, it is worth mentioning that earlier in June, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on the Ukrainian authorities to continue strengthening local self-government. They were called upon to integrate the successes of decentralization reforms into the overall recovery and reconstruction plan. This includes giving local authorities a “meaningful role in decision-making” in relevant projects. The European Parliament also advises the government to cooperate with the Association of Ukrainian Cities and the European Alliance of Cities and Regions to rebuild Ukraine.
