The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine’s Committee on the Organisation of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning recommended that the Parliament adopt as a basis draft law No. 15543 ‘On Amendments to Article 4 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Legal Regime of Martial Law” with regard to the definition of the status of employees of military administrations in localities’.

Eighteen members of the Committee voted in favour of the relevant decision.

During the meeting, Vitalii Bezgin, Minister of Communities, Territories and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine, explained that the document is intended to regulate the status of local government employees who have transferred to work in the military administrations of localities.

‘In 2022, we permitted the appointment of village, settlement, and city mayors as heads of military administrations in localities. This worked effectively and correctly, as we maintained continuity of governance,’ noted Vitalii Bezgin.

According to the Minister, however, the conflict remains in the legislation in regard to the status of employees who have, in practice, transferred from local governments to military administrations.

Draft Law No. 15543, in particular, proposes:

• to allow village, settlement, and city mayors who hold the posts of heads of military administrations in localities to retain their previous posts and the legal guarantees afforded to local government officials;
• to conclude employment contracts with employees directly with the military administrations of localities, rather than with regional military administrations;
• to extend the application of the Law of Ukraine “On Service in Local Governments” as the relevant legislation to employees of military administrations of localities who exercise local government powers.

‘This concerns those employees of military administrations who previously worked in local governments and are now devoting their efforts to the most challenging parts of our country, right on the front line,’ emphasised Vitalii Bezgin.

The Sub-Committee on Civil Service had previously considered the document together with representatives of all-Ukrainian local government associations and recommended that the Committee support it at first reading.

During the discussion, a representative of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights drew attention to the need for further alignment of the draft with Articles 42 and 79 of the Law of Ukraine “On Local Self-Government in Ukraine”. Vitalii Bezgin stated that the proposals from the Commissioner’s Office and the local government associations would be addressed between the first and second readings.