Associations of local self-government bodies and experts appealed to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine with the proposal to consider the draft law No. 2217-а “On Amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine (regarding decentralisation)” during the next plenary week. They voiced this proposal during a briefing held on 11 January at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Centre.

Serhii Chernov, President of the All-Ukrainian Association of Rayon and Oblast Councils, called the introduction of decentralisation-related amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine a certain test on the capacity to carry out reforms in general. In his opinion, in order to successfully pass this test, it is necessary to unite the political will of all branches of Government.

Ivan Lukerya, expert of the Reanimation Reform Package, said that the situation is special, since it is exactly next week that the period, during which, according to the established procedure, the draft law number 2217-а can be considered in the second reading, comes to an end.

Volodymyr Parkhomenko, representative of the Association of Ukrainian Cities, drew attention to the fact that more and more government officials, experts and public figures emphasise the irreversibility of changes that take place due to implementation of the reform of local self-government and territorial organisation of power.

The situation, when the Parliament will simply ignore this draft law, is the worst one. Then, according to the experts, the future of the reform will be very questionable. Yurii Hanushchak, Director of the Territories Development Institute, considers possible non-approval of the amendments to the Constitution as a direct threat to Ukrainian statehood.

The participants of the briefing expressed their hope that the issue of consideration of amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine will be included in the agenda of the meeting of the Approving Council of the Parliament on 14 January of the next plenary week.

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