On 19 March, the Verkhovna Rada Committee on the Organisation of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning recommended that the Verkhovna Rada adopt as a basis the draft Law of Ukraine ‘On Ensuring the Authority of Local Councils under Martial Law’ (Reg. No. 14405).

The draft law aims to ensure the stable and effective functioning of local governments under martial law. In particular, it addresses the regulation of quorum requirements for plenary sessions of local councils and the proper exercise of councillors’ powers under the restrictions imposed by the war.

To achieve this aim, the draft law proposes:

• to stipulate that, during the period of martial law and for six months following its termination or repeal, special provisions shall apply to the functioning of local councils in communities where the 2020 local elections were held under a relative majority system in multi-member constituencies. In particular, this concerns the determination of a quorum, the procedure for submitting proposals and the adoption of decisions by local councils;
• to adapt the requirements regarding reporting by local councillors, taking into account the need to ensure their physical safety;
• to specify that certain provisions of the Law of Ukraine ‘On Local Self-Government in Ukraine’ regarding the mandatory participation of councillors in plenary council meetings, meetings of standing and other committees, as well as the implementation of decisions and instructions of the council and its bodies, shall not apply to local councillors called up for military service during mobilisation.

Moreover, the Parliament was asked to instruct the Committee to finalise the draft law for the second reading, taking into account the proposals and amendments of the entities entitled to initiate legislation in compliance with Part 1 of Article 116 of the Rules of Procedure of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.