LEGAL PREREQUISITES OF DECENTRALIZATION REFORM IN UKRAINE: HISTORICAL AND LEGAL ANALYSIS (1991–2014)

Abstract

The article examines key interpretations of the concept of “decentralization” through the prism of public administration reform and strengthening the role of local self-government. Decentralization of power involves a systematic and comprehensive redistribution of powers and responsibilities between central authorities and local self-government bodies. An important component of decentralization of power is the financial independence of local authorities. Decentralization involves optimization in solving national issues and the effective, practical implementation of regional and local projects. It covers almost all spheres of life: political, economic, social, cultural and is fundamental for public administration and international cooperation. Decentralization requires an appropriate economic, social, political and cultural level of development of regions, which will ensure their successful independent and autonomous functioning within the state. It is emphasized that the processes of decentralization were usually affected by serious historical changes in socio-political development. In particular, the integration processes in European countries after World War II became an impetus for decentralization reforms as the most progressive and democratically conditioned form of state administration, as well as a response to the processes of rigid centralization of power in some countries. Geopolitical changes of the late 20th century. also significantly strengthened decentralization changes in European countries. From the angle of historical retrospective, the traditions of local self-government formed in Ukraine are considered. In particular, the Kyivan Rus’ period was characterized by both the distribution of powers between political elites and the influence on the management decisions of territorial communities (viche and verv). Magdeburg law also had a significant influence as a component of the European legal tradition and the processes of urbanization and the development of trade, economic and socio-political institutions. A unique Cossack tradition of decentralization of power and democratic governance was formed in Ukrainian territories. The imperial and Soviet periods of Ukrainian history significantly undermined and undermined the democratic development of local self-government. However, both the events of the Ukrainian Revolution at the beginning of the 20th century and the restoration of state independence in 1991 demonstrated the importance for Ukrainian state-building of both historically formed traditions of decentralization and development of local self-government, and the need to turn to the pan-European experience of reforming government functions.