Political changes in Ukraine and decentralisation
From November 2013 to the end of February 2014, protesters gathered on Kyiv’s central square, in a series of demonstrations known as the Euro-Maidan. These protests have involved several distinct stages, culminating in what some analysts have called a national revolution that has removed the government and presidency of Viktor Yanukovych.
Since early 2013 till late November 2013, Yanukovych has been declaring his willingness to commit Ukraine to signing an Association Agreement with the European Union at the EU summit in Vilnius. After visiting Moscow, where he consulted with President Vladimir Putin, Yanukovych has changed his intentions to sign the agreement in the very last moment. The Ukrainian society was not informed about the reasons of such decision which broke the expectations of the majority of citizens. Within hours, protesters came to the streets, motivated by anger at the change of the vector of country development. What occurred was essentially a broad civic protest on the future of Ukraine and it took the authorities completely by surprise. Every Sunday masses of Ukrainians came out in the streets and the central Kiev square – Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) to express their disagreement to the actions of the Government and the President. Within some time, the authorities reacted cautiously, deploying the riot police (Berkut). However, no serious confrontations took place. 30 November at night and morning of 1 December only a limited number of students were remaining on Maidan with a peaceful manifestation. However, the order was given to the Berkut to clear the square under the ridiculous pretext of installing the New Year tree. The demonstration was dispersed by force with extreme brutality and violence.
From November 2013 to the end of February 2014, protesters gathered on Kyiv’s central square, in a series of demonstrations known as the Euro-Maidan. These protests have involved several distinct stages, culminating in what some analysts have called a national revolution that has removed the government and presidency of Viktor Yanukovych.
Since early 2013 till late November 2013, Yanukovych has been declaring his willingness to commit Ukraine to signing an Association Agreement with the European Union at the EU summit in Vilnius. After visiting Moscow, where he consulted with President Vladimir Putin, Yanukovych has changed his intentions to sign the agreement in the very last moment. The Ukrainian society was not informed about the reasons of such decision which broke the expectations of the majority of citizens. Within hours, protesters came to the streets, motivated by anger at the change of the vector of country development. What occurred was essentially a broad civic protest on the future of Ukraine and it took the authorities completely by surprise. Every Sunday masses of Ukrainians came out in the streets and the central Kiev square – Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) to express their disagreement to the actions of the Government and the President. Within some time, the authorities reacted cautiously, deploying the riot police (Berkut). However, no serious confrontations took place. 30 November at night and morning of 1 December only a limited number of students were remaining on Maidan with a peaceful manifestation. However, the order was given to the Berkut to clear the square under the ridiculous pretext of installing the New Year tree. The demonstration was dispersed by force with extreme brutality and violence.
On February 21, 2014 the EU returned to active involvement in stabilizing the situation in Ukraine. That day the foreign ministers of Poland, France, and Germany arrived in Kyiv. Working into the night, they brokered a deal between the government, the president and the three parliamentary opposition leaders. The signed document foresaw a temporary administration, constitutional reforms to reduce the powers of the presidency and new presidential and parliamentary elections by the end of 2014. But that provision proved to be unacceptable to those on the Maidan.
As the result in the center of Kyiv protesters piled high barricades, rapidly accumulated Molotov cocktails and started to burn tires, setting off thick black smoke in the center of the capital to protect themselves from the riot police.. The struggle on the Maidan became now for control of Ukraine and on 18-20 February 2014 ended with bloodshed. The president and the government (Yanukovych and Interior Minister Vitalii Zakharchenko) ordered troops to fire on protesters using live ammunition, situating snipers on rooftops who picked off targets at will. The number of those who were shot exceeded 100 people.
Hundreds more were wounded, many of them severely. However this violent attack failed and the protesters remained in place delivering ultimatum of conduct the immediate presidential elections.
The outcome of these events was the flight of the president and most of his Cabinet out of Ukraine. The government of
The new administration of Ukraine from the first steps took course towards the decentralisation reforms. On 1 April, 2014 the Government approved the document on the reforms of local self-government and territorial arrangement of power. This paper envisages all necessary legislative changes to be developed and adopted by 2014, which should allow during 2015 to start the practical implementation of the reforms aimed at decentralization of power and local self government empowerment based on the subsidiary principle: http://despro.org.ua/en/news/news/?ELEMENT_ID=1350
The extraordinary Presidential elections in Ukraine were appointed for May 25, 2014. The elections showed unanimous decisiveness of Ukrainians towards stability and peace in the country. By the majority of votes (54,7%) Petro Poroshenko has won the presidential race in the already in the first round of elections. In his first interview he confirmed his full support of the reforms on decentralisation and LSG.
Such rapid changes in the country have placed the Swiss-Ukrainian Decentralisation Support Project DESPRO), in the center of the Ukrainian reforms. The project is funded by the Swiss Confederation and implemented by Swiss Centre for Resource and Consultation on Development (Skat).
DESPRO has been heavily involved in the process of preparation of key policy documents on decentralization reforms – reforms` concepts, draft laws etc. DESPRO practical experience in implementing solid waste management projects as well as the Swiss decentralisation expertise were used while developing the two main draft laws on intermunicipal cooperation (IMC) and voluntary amalgamation of local territories (the drafts which are first on the Ukrainian decentralisation agenda). The recommendations have been prepared and delivered to the Ukrainian Parliament. The IMC draft law has been considered already in the Parliament and we expect it to be voted soon.
Currently DESPRO is supporting and contributing to the national information and awareness raisin campaign for promoting decentralisation. DESPRO in cooperation with Government of Ukraine is conducting information sessions for local authorities all over the country on the contents of the reforms, steps to be taken, expectations and outcomes of the decentralisation processes. Trainings are conducted for journalists for the media to provide correct and clear information on the reforms.
To provide more effective reforms awareness raising activities DESPRO created a series of films in the technique of hand-drawn infographic under the name: “It is Time to Make Big Changes”. About the Reform Which Everyone is Afraid of, but which you Cannot Omit!” For more information please see the DESPRO web-site: http://despro.org.ua/en/news/news/?ELEMENT_ID=1345
The film is widely broadcasted throughout Ukraine and constantly used by the government in various gatherings. http://minregion.gov.ua/news/announces/decentralizaciya-vladi-i-reforma-miscevogo-samovryaduvannya--ch-i-437806/
The described activities of DESPRO are just the beginning of the full-fledged national information campaign as well as the actual decentralisation reformations in the country. Please, follow us on our web-site and expect further news from us in the nearest future.
M. Bryl, DESPRO Expert
O. Garnets, Senior DESPRO Project Coordinator 16.06.2014