Today is the perfect time to bring order to the city government of Kyiv. Wartime is not a barrier; rather, it calls for radical decisions.
This is the opinion of the Director of the Institute for Territorial Development, Yuriy Hanushchak. He believes that starting from the new budget year, part of the powers could be transferred from the city to the district councils, of course, after they are established. The Kyiv City Council could take these steps if there was the desire and political will.
This thesis was supported by participants at the roundtable held at "Ukrinform" on the topic: "A New Management Model for Kyiv: Advantages and Challenges." The discussion was organized by Kyiv City Council member, head of the "Servant of the People" faction, Andriy Vitrenko. At the beginning of the conversation, he noted that Kyiv is the only community in Ukraine where local self-government is under the protection of the executive branch, contrary to the European Charter. Therefore, there has long been a need for a new law on the capital that would delineate the powers of the Kyiv Mayor and the head of the Kyiv City State Administration (KCSA).
Meanwhile, an authoritarian management model has taken root in the capital, hindering the successful development of the city. This notorious practice needs to be consigned to history, as Kyiv City Council member Liliya Pashinna stated in her speech, without a clear delineation of these powers, we cannot make any progress towards the European Union that the country is striving for. Our European partners insist on this.
During the discussion, experts argued for the necessity of adopting a new law on the capital, delineating and streamlining management processes, as well as the importance of creating district councils in the city. Most speakers expressed support for re-establishing district councils in Kyiv, which had previously been dissolved. Kyiv City Council member Yevhen Kuzmenko is convinced that new self-governance structures at the district level will allow citizens to genuinely influence city processes, defend their legal interests, and oversee the district budget. Therefore, these will be effective platforms for local self-government, according to the head of the Public Council under the KCSA, Hennadiy Kryvosheya.
Unfortunately, what we see in Kyiv is a distorted picture. Several examples were provided where residents have been deprived of the opportunity to be heard by the city's leaders.
“The authoritarian system in the capital has taken such deep root that impunity flourishes, and there is no accountability for the violations committed by officials,” emphasized practicing lawyer and public figure Dmytro Kalko.