Development Initiative for Advocating Local Governance in Ukraine (Dialogue) Annual Report

The directive was released in three months and dealt with 200 local government problem issues raised by local officials. The key expected approach was reflected in an ordinance package for the Government of Ukraine, Local Self-Governance Support State Fund, and local governments to elaborate proposals to reform local self-governance and territorial arrangement of government institutions in Ukraine. Ukraine entered a timely budgeting process in 2012, with the Draft Law of Ukraine "On the State Budget for 2012" submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in September. The Ministry of Finance complied with all provisions of the Law "On Local Government Associations" and conferred with local government associations on the subject matter. Local governments presented their case in three local government line committees, but the budget was short of money for delegated authority by more than 30%. To bridge the gap, local governments will have to deplete their own resources, leaving their communities out in the cold to maintain and develop their local infrastructure. The DIALOGUE Project implemented several activities in the reporting period. On June 30, 2011, local self-government officials representing 300 towns gathered in the town of Illichivsk to discuss the future of local self-governance. The event was attended by deputy chief of presidential staff Skubashevskyi, who promised to draft a presidential directive to tackle the issues raised by local officials. The presidential directive was released in three months and dealt with 200 local government problem issues. The DIALOGUE Project conducted several working meetings and consultations with local government officials and other stakeholders. On July 6, the First National TV Channel broadcast a program about the city of Illichivsk. On July 14, the Project conducted working meetings of the Volyn Regional Advisory Board and the Ternopil Regional Advisory Board. The Project also published and disseminated several issues of the "Legislation News" and the "DIALOGUE Newsletter". The DIALOGUE Project implemented Component 1: Legal Framework, which included legislation drafting based on local governments' legislative needs. The Project conducted a need assessment, monitored legislation, and introduced institutional tools for local governments to participate in legislation drafting. The Project also implemented Component 2: Policy dialogue, which included increasing the participation of the AUC member cities in the policy dialogue established by the AUC at the national level. The Project conducted consultations with key ministries and established formal and regular coordination mechanisms with other USAID-supported activities and other donor organizations. The DIALOGUE Project implemented Component 3: Fostering Public Support for Reform, which included the implementation of the integrated Communication and Branding Strategy of the AUC. The Project produced and disseminated tools for message delivery, including a DIALOGUE Project AUC website, electronic and printed media, radio coverage, and TV coverage. The Project also fostered media relations by creating a team of AUC speakers and implementing mechanisms for regular communication between local governments and media. The DIALOGUE Project implemented Component 4: Legal Assistance and Protection, which included expanding legal consultation services for navigating various laws and regulations. The Project provided legal protection services, including a Local Government Lawyer School. The Project also implemented a Special Emphasis on Crimea, which included working meetings and consultations with local government officials and other stakeholders. The DIALOGUE Project faced several challenges in the reporting period, including budget issues and the expected moratorium lift on agricultural lands sales. The new legislation on the land cadastre complicated rather than simplified local government struggle to get the right information on the cadastre. The government suggested procedures for the delineation of state-owned and communally-owned lands will take at least five years to implement, provided the budget earmarks 8 billion UAH to do the work and the number of entities to carry it out is increased 100-fold.