Ukraine is continuing to work on improving its local self-government system in line with European standards. One of the key issues at this stage is the introduction of a legally regulated system of state supervision of local government acts, which is necessary to ensure the legality, transparency, and accountability of local authorities.

The Office of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine organised Congress hearings devoted to this issue.

Participants included Viktor Mykyta, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine; Oleksii Riabykin, Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine; Vitalii Bezgin, Member of the Ukrainian Parliament; Gediminas Navickas, Chargé d'Affaires of the EU Delegation to Ukraine; and local community leaders, who joined the discussion both offline and online. The hearing was moderated by Liliia Pashynna, Head of the Congress Office.

European background

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe regularly carries out monitoring visits to all 46 of its member states, in order to assess their compliance with the provisions of the European Charter of Local Self-Government.

The latest report on Ukraine was published in 2016. The next report was due to be prepared in 2022, based on the findings of the 2021 visit. However, due to Russia’s full-scale invasion, this process was postponed.

The draft report prepared by the Congress noted that two tasks remained unfulfilled for the further development of Ukrainian decentralisation: constitutional amendments regarding decentralisation, and the introduction of a system of state supervision over local government decisions.

While constitutional changes are currently on hold, the issue of state supervision must be addressed immediately.

Legislative initiatives

On 18 September 2025, a group of MPs submitted to the Verkhovna Rada Draft Law No. 14048 ‘On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine to Ensure Legality and Transparency in the Activities of Local Governments’.

On 8 October, Parliament adopted the document in the first reading, and it is currently being prepared for the second. The Draft Law sets out the procedure for state supervision of local government acts and clearly delineates the powers between authorities.

Discussion and common guidelines

During the Congress hearings, the participants emphasised that establishing an effective state supervision mechanism does not imply restricting the autonomy of communities. Rather, it is about establishing a legal system that ensures the legitimacy of decisions and enhances trust in local authorities.

The discussion was open and thorough, balancing the desire for local self-government and independence with the need for proper supervision.

Next steps

According to Vitalii Bezgin, a Ukrainian MP and one of the initiators of Draft Law No. 14048, the document is scheduled to be put to a vote in the Verkhovna Rada this Wednesday.

The establishment of a transparent system of state supervision is not only a requirement of European institutions, but also an important condition for the further development of effective, responsible, and mature local self-government in Ukraine.