Under financial and organizational support of the Swiss-Ukrainian project “Decentraliztion support in Ukraine”, representatives of press-services of oblast state administrations and regional TV and radio broadcasting companies met the chairman of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Volodymyr Groysman, and the leading national experts on decentralization, at a round-table discussion. This time the meeting was dedicated to the constitutional reform on authority decentralization and local self-government reorganization.

While addressing the discussion participants, Volodymyr Groysman stressed, that the new system of local self-government, implementation of which was provided by amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine, would bring professionals to power.

“We have a good airplane – Ukraine. But we do not have the steering system for it, so it can not take off. That is why we need to create a good steering system, and this system is decentralization and local self-government, plus we need good personnel. As soon as we have a steering system, this personnel will immediately join us and be willing to work”, he stressed.

“I believe that we will implement this”, said V. Groysman, and stated: “I am ready to take all the responsibility of any kind for this reform, I know that it will, probably, be the greatest success of Ukraine. I am ready to accept personal responsibility for the consequences of implementation of this reform”. “I know that communities and people will be satisfied as soon as they feel the process, it cannot be stopped. It will be Europe by then”, he added.

Constitutional Commission members, leading experts in the field, and creators of the reform – Yuri Ganushchak and Sergii Golovaty – presented the amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine on decentralization. A series of questions, discussions, and exchange of opinions, indicated that the information presented was relevant and topical.

Meeting participants discussed the “journalist challenges” in times of reforms with the famous journalist Anna Bezulyk.

Encourage press-services of state administrations and personnel of state broadcasting companies to be competent, active conductors of this extremely relevant information about the reform, establish a channel for ongoing exchange of information, improve professional level – these were the key objectives of the event. We should remind that the first meeting of Verkhovna Rada chairman with regional media took place under DESPRO support on April 15, 2015.

The Swiss-Ukrainian project “Decentralization support in Ukraine” DESPRO will continue its all-encompassing support of improvement of informational coverage of decentralization.

Meeting video 

http://despro.org.ua/news/news/?ELEMENT_ID=1545