The Association of Ukrainian Cities opposed the provisions of bill No. 14405 that simplify the procedure for removing community heads from exercising their powers. The organization sent a corresponding appeal to the relevant parliamentary committee. This was reported by Association of Ukrainian Cities, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
In an appeal to the Verkhovna Rada Committee on State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning, it was emphasized that lowering the requirements for the number of deputies’ votes to remove community heads is unacceptable. Instead of the proposed changes, it was suggested to grant broader powers to executive committees and municipal leaders, as was practiced in 2022.
New rules may affect all types of councils
The organization stressed that the rule on the early termination of powers of city, town, and village heads applies to all councils without exception, rather than only those formed under the relative majority majoritarian system. Currently, three hundred and twenty-one municipalities operate without a legitimately elected head, making any further simplification of the removal procedure a critical risk factor.
The bill creates a threat of councils losing their authority
Special attention of parliamentarians was drawn to the risk of councils losing their quorum and authority before the official establishment of post-war election results. Such legal collisions could destabilize the work of regional authorities and baseline governance under martial law.
Illustrative photo: Yuriy Kvach / CC BY-SA 4.0
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