SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS TO CURRENT QUESTIONS DURING THE FORUM “EFFICIENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT AS A BACKGROUND OF DEMOCRATIC AND RULE-OF-LAW STATE”
KYIV, UKRAINE 06 DECEMBER 2019
“In the new administrative and territorial structure, the focus should be placed on the territorial community,” said Yuriy Kliuchkovsky, the Council of Europe expert, member of the working group for the improvement of electoral legislation on local elections under the Ministry of Regional Development. Election issues at the level of territorial communities and other important topics were raised during the IV Forum “Efficient local government as a background of democratic and rule-of-law state”, organized with the support of the Council of Europe, in the city of Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, on 28-29 November 2019. In the framework of the discussion “Next Local Elections: Risks or New Opportunities?” on 29 November the participants of the forum discussed current issues and challenges related to the organization of the electoral process, in particular, during the upcoming local elections that will be held in Ukraine next year. The discussion on electoral matters brought together representatives of the Council of Europe and public authorities, experts and civil society activists:- Daniel Popescu – Head of the Democratic Governance Department, Directorate General – II of Democracy, Council of Europe;
- Alina Zagoruyko – People’s Deputy of Ukraine and Deputy Chairwoman of the Committee, Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Elections, Referenda and Other Forms of Direct Democracy of the Verkhovna Rada Committee of Ukraine;
- Yuriy Kliuchkovskyi – the Council of Europe expert, member of the working group for the improvement of electoral legislation on local elections with regard to ensuring citizens’ representation in the community councils, as well as territorial communities’ representation in district and regional councils under the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine;
- Yuriy Miroshnychenko – Member of the Central Election Commission;
- Nataliia Borovska – Manager of the Project “Democracy for People”;
- Tetiana Durneva – Executive Director of the Civil Holding “Group of Influence”;
- Olexandr Burmagin – media lawyer, Executive Director of the NGO “Human Rights Platform”