The Verkhovna Rada of this convocation has only four plenary days to preserve its chance to make fateful changes to the Constitution regarding local self-government and thereby enter the history of the country, said Vyacheslav Nehoda, First Deputy Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services, in an interview to Ukrinform.

“We must do our utmost to continue the decentralisation process, but it is important to raise one more issue, as stated by the President of Ukraine at the meeting of the Regional Development Council, namely the consolidation of the provisions on decentralisation in the Constitution of Ukraine. And the working group, formed by the Prime Minister, began work on the text of possible amendments to the Constitution. Now there is draft law number 2217 in the Parliament, which was supported in the first reading, received the conclusions of the Constitutional Court and the Venice Commission. It also needs an immediate decision, as its “stay” in the Parliament blocks the possibility of another draft law submission,” noted Vyacheslav Nehoda.

He emphasised the importance of prompt decision-making on draft law No. 2217.

“The Verkhovna Rada of this convocation has only four plenary days to preserve its chance to make fateful changes to the Constitution regarding local self-government and thereby enter the history of the country. And these days are 15-18 January, then the session will be closed. It is during this period that it is necessary to consider draft law No. 2217, which is likely to be rejected. And during the next session, in February, it will be possible to consider new draft amendments to the Basic Law. Taking into account the procedures for passing such a document, it will be possible to finally adopt the changes in autumn of 2019, because then the parliamentary elections will take place, and the Verkhovna Rada of this convocation will have practically no other time to make this crucial decision,” said the First Deputy Minister.

Vyacheslav Nehoda stressed that without changes to the Constitution it is impossible to change the system of power in the country at the level of rayon and oblast.

“That is, we will not be able to change the status of local state administrations. Rayon and oblast councils will not be able to have their own executive bodies. It is necessary to consolidate in the Constitution a number of other provisions that will ensure the irreversibility of the decentralisation process and results. That is why it is one of the key tasks.”