Experts of the Ukrainian Center for Independent Political Research within the framework of USAID "Citizens in Action" Project estimated the extent to which the local councils' procedures envisaging the opportunities for citizens to influence the decision-making process meet the democratic principles.
The following cities are championing in terms of democratic procedures in 2018:
- Chernivtsi – 90%.
- Kyiv – 76%.
- Khmelnytskyi – 75%.
- Lviv – 70%.
- Kramatorsk – 66%.
The lowest indicators of democracy were assessed in Kharkiv (38%) and Zhytomyr (29%).
The total average quality of local democracy in 2018 in the regional centers is 55%.
Experts noted that over the past two years, a significant number of city councils have expanded the opportunities for residents to participate in the governance of their cities. The situation was improved through launching new local democracy tools in cities, such as participatory budgets and e-petitions.
Therefore, in 2 years 21 cities have launched the participatory budget procedures, and another 15 ones introduced e-petitions. Only 4 cities have launched local initiatives, and 3 municipalities implemented public hearings.
The overall upward trend in the transparency and accountability of local self-government to the community is also observed: the provisions on reporting of city mayors and deputies (7 cities), the provisions on deputy committees (5 cities), as well as the city council regulations (7 cities) have been improved.
In general, experts analyzed more than 300 decisions of local councils and noted that in 70 of them positive changes were introduced in the last 2 years that expanded the ability of residents to influence the city governance processes.
Compared to 2016, the overall average level of democracy in Ukrainian cities has increased by 17%. The greatest progress was achieved by city councils of Kyiv, Lviv, Khmelnytskyi and Rivne.
Meanwhile, some cities maintain artificial barriers that almost prevent citizens from using local democracy tools.
Thus, to initiate public hearings in Chernihiv, one must collect 3,000 signatures of residents (the recommended number is not more than 50), and to submit a local initiative in Kropyvnytskyi, as many as 19,000 signatures are required (recommended number is no more than 250).
The legislative regulation of such local democracy tools as the general meeting of citizens (31%) and the standing rules of the city council executive committee (28%) is the worst.
Best democratic legal regulation is observed for the novel democracy tools: electronic petitions (94%) and participatory budget (85%).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
While preparing the research "Municipal Democracy Index-2018", 12 decisions of city councils were analyzed that regulate the mechanisms of citizen engagement in the municipal governance during the decision-making process, as well as ensuring transparency, openness and accountability of local self-government bodies:
1. Territorial community charter
2. Local initiatives
3. Public hearings
4. Public expert evaluation
5. Reporting of city mayors and city council deputies
6. General meeting of the citizens at the place of residence
7. Electronic petitions
8. Public consultations
9. Participatory budget
10.Standing rules of the city council executive committees
11.Standing rules of city councils
12.Regulations on full-time commissions of deputies
The research covered 24 oblast centers.
The research was held in May-August 2018.
Project experts: Maksym Lukiniuk, Taras Sluchyk, Ivanna Fedynchyk, Mykola Yatskov and Maksym Latsyba.