QUARTERLY REPORT for the Development Initiative for Advocating Local Governance in Ukraine (DIALOGUE) Project January – March, 2014 QUARTERLY REPORT January – March, 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS RESUME 5 Chapter 1. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE REPORTING PERIOD 6 Chapter 2. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION 8 2.1. Component 1: Legal Framework 8 Activity 2.1.1. Legislation drafting based on local governments legislative needs 8 Local government legislation need assessment 8 and work on local government technical profiles Legislation monitoring 9 Activity 2.1.2. Expert evaluation of conformity of draft legislation 13 to the European Charter of Local Self-Governance Activity 2.1.3. Introduction of institutional tools for local governments 13 to participate in legislation drafting Round table discussions in AUC Regional Offices and meetings of AUC Professional 13 Groups Setting up a network of lawyers to participate in legislation drafting 23 2.2. Component 2: Policy dialogue 25 Activity 2.2.1. Increasing the participation of the AUC member cities 25 in the policy dialogue established be the Association at the national level Dialogue Day: answers to the questions raised 25 Cooperation with central government authorities 25 Participation of Ukraine-wide local government associations in working sessions of the Cabinet of Ministers 30 Parliamentary Inter-Faction Local Government Support Group (local government caucus) 34 Participation in the work of parliamentary committees 35 Activity 2.2.2. Setting up advisory boards at the regional level with participation 37 of AUC Regional Offices and local State Executive agencies at the oblast level Working sessions of Local Government Regional Advisory Boards 37 Activity 2.2.3. Establishing formal and regular coordination 38 mechanisms with other USAID supported activities and other donor organizations Forum of Donor Organisations working in the local government sector 38 Cooperation with other USAID projects and projects supported by other donor 38 organisations 2.3. Component 3: Fostering Public Support for Reform 38 Activity 2.3.1. Implementation of the integrated Communication and Branding 38 Strategy of the AUC Activity 2.3.2. Integration of communications into day-to-day operations of the AUC 39 Activity 2.3.3. Production and dissemination of tools for message delivery 39 DIALOGUE Project AUC web-site 39 Electronic and printed media 39 Radio coverage 41 TV coverage 42 «зМІСТОвна Україна» TV program series 42 2 DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE FOR ADVOCATING LOCAL GOVERNANCE IN UKRAINE (DIALOGUE) TABLE OF CONTENTS Activity 2.3.4. Fostering media relations 43 RESUME 5 Setting up a team of AUC speakers 43 Implementation of mechanisms for regular communication 44 Chapter 1. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE REPORTING PERIOD 6 between local governments and media Chapter 2. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION 8 2.4. Component 4: Legal Assistance and Protection 45 Activity 2.4.1. Expanding legal consultation services 45 2.1. Component 1: Legal Framework 8 for navigating various laws and regulations Activity 2.1.1. Legislation drafting based on local governments legislative needs 8 Local government legislation need assessment 8 Expert workshops in AUC ROs 45 and work on local government technical profiles Legislation monitoring 9 Activity 2.4.2. Legal protection services 52 Activity 2.1.2. Expert evaluation of conformity of draft legislation 13 Monitoring of cases of harassment of local governments and their officials 52 to the European Charter of Local Self-Governance Scheduling pre-term elections 58 Activity 2.1.3. Introduction of institutional tools for local governments 13 to participate in legislation drafting Local Government Lawyer School 58 Round table discussions in AUC Regional Offices and meetings of AUC Professional 13 Groups Chapter 3. IMPLEMENTATION PROBLEMS AND WAYS TO RESOLVE THEM 60 Setting up a network of lawyers to participate in legislation drafting 23 Chapter 4. SUCCESS STORIES 61 2.2. Component 2: Policy dialogue 25 Activity 2.2.1. Increasing the participation of the AUC member cities 25 Chapter 5. ESTIMATED SCHEDULE FOR THE NEXT QUARTER 66 in the policy dialogue established be the Association at the national level Dialogue Day: answers to the questions raised 25 Cooperation with central government authorities 25 Participation of Ukraine-wide local government associations in working sessions of the Cabinet of Ministers 30 Parliamentary Inter-Faction Local Government Support Group (local government caucus) 34 Participation in the work of parliamentary committees 35 Activity 2.2.2. Setting up advisory boards at the regional level with participation 37 of AUC Regional Offices and local State Executive agencies at the oblast level Working sessions of Local Government Regional Advisory Boards 37 Activity 2.2.3. Establishing formal and regular coordination 38 mechanisms with other USAID supported activities and other donor organizations Forum of Donor Organisations working in the local government sector 38 Cooperation with other USAID projects and projects supported by other donor 38 organisations 2.3. Component 3: Fostering Public Support for Reform 38 Activity 2.3.1. Implementation of the integrated Communication and Branding 38 Strategy of the AUC Activity 2.3.2. Integration of communications into day-to-day operations of the AUC 39 Activity 2.3.3. Production and dissemination of tools for message delivery 39 DIALOGUE Project AUC web-site 39 Electronic and printed media 39 Radio coverage 41 TV coverage 42 «зМІСТОвна Україна» TV program series 42 2 3 QUARTERLY REPORT January – March, 2014 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AUC – Association of Ukrainian Cities AUC RO – Regional Office of the Association of Ukrainian Cities CAS – Center for Administrative Services CASE – Central Agencies of the State Executive CGA – Central Government Agency CJSC – Closed Joint-Stock Company CMU – Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine EU – European Union HUS – Housing and Utilities Sector IFG – Inter-Faction Group LG – Local Government LGRAB – Local Government Regional Advisory Board Ltd. – limited MOH – Ministry of Health Care NA – News Agency NJSC – National Joint-Stock Company OSA – Oblast State Administration PJSC – Private Joint-Stock Company RSA – Rayon State Administration SSR – Soviet Socialist Republic STU – State Treasury of Ukraine STVRC – State TV and Radio Company TVRC – TV and Radio Company USA – united States of America USAID – U.S. Agency for International Development UWLGA – Ukraine-Wide Local Government Association UWNGO – Ukraine-Wide Non-Governmental Organisation VRU – Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ZhEK – Housing Neighbourhood Maintenance Unit 4 DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE FOR ADVOCATING LOCAL GOVERNANCE IN UKRAINE (DIALOGUE) LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS RESUME AUC – Association of Ukrainian Cities The purpose of the DIALOGUE Project is to promote the environment conducive for local AUC RO – Regional Office of the Association of Ukrainian Cities government reforms and to ensure a broad-based support for decentralisation from public CAS – Center for Administrative Services servants, civil society organisations and the public at large. CASE – Central Agencies of the State Executive CGA – Central Government Agency Project implementation in January – March of 2014 yielded the following outcomes: CJSC – Closed Joint-Stock Company CMU – Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine • DIALOGUE Project experts performed the monitoring of 57 draft legislation and 190 EU – European Union HUS – Housing and Utilities Sector ordinances and regulatory documents; IFG – Inter-Faction Group • The Project conducted working sessions of six AUC Professional Groups and updated LG – Local Government LGRAB – Local Government Regional Advisory Board nine local government technical area profiles; Ltd. – limited • The Cabinet of Ministers took into account the AUC position with regard to one MOH – Ministry of Health Care NA – News Agency legislative and regulatory documents; NJSC – National Joint-Stock Company • The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine took into account the provisions of one draft law; OSA – Oblast State Administration PJSC – Private Joint-Stock Company • DIALOGUE Project experts took part in 17 working sessions of five parliamentary RSA – Rayon State Administration committees. This enabled the AUC to defend its position with regard to draft laws SSR – Soviet Socialist Republic STU – State Treasury of Ukraine initiated by National Deputies; STVRC – State TV and Radio Company • The Project conducted one working session of the Local Government Regional Advisory TVRC – TV and Radio Company USA – united States of America Board; USAID – U.S. Agency for International Development • The «зМІСТОвна Україна» [city-minded Ukraine] TV Project is underway and UWLGA – Ukraine-Wide Local Government Association UWNGO – Ukraine-Wide Non-Governmental Organisation continues to cover local government issues and best practices from cities. The Project VRU – Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine aired three TV programs; ZhEK – Housing Neighbourhood Maintenance Unit • The Project conducted 23 expert workshops in AUC ROs; • The Project provided 164 consultations to local governments and officials; • The Project published two issues of the AUC Herald and three issues of Legislation News professional legal publication, and one issue of the Legal Consultations and the Sectoral Monitoring; and, • The Project published the Local Governance in 2013 printed publication. 4 5 QUARTERLY REPORT January – March, 2014 Chapter 1. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE REPORTING PERIOD January 15, the First National TV Channel УТ-1 featured the «зМІСТОвна