Conceptual Basis of Local Government Reform in Ukraine and Results of its Implementation

Abstract

The article summarizes and systematizes the theoretical aspects of the formation of local self-government, taking into account the European experience of implementing administrative and territorial reform, outlines the range of problems that arose in the process of decentralization reform in Ukraine during 2015-2021, identifies the positive and negative consequences of local selfgovernment reform in Ukraine. A significant number of communities do not have the resources to perform new functions, the transfer of certain functions to the local level is not always appropriate, there is a need to consider the possibility of "recentralization" of certain powers from the local level to a higher one. The district level of local self-government was almost leveled and it cannot represent the common interests of communities. At the legislative level, there is no clearly defined division of powers between local self-government bodies and executive bodies. This creates a threat of "creeping" centralization of resources, when the government can transfer certain powers to the local level without financial support.