International cooperation in public control of local governments: lessons for Ukraine

The purpose of this article is to examine the legal framework and general theoretical aspects of the formation and implementation of state policy regarding public control over local self-government bodies, comparing regulations in Ukraine and European Union member states. The study employs dialectical, synthesis, and theoretical analysis methods to investigate public control in Ukraine, and systemic-structural, formal-logical, and comparative-legal methods to compare public control practices in Ukraine and other countries. The research highlights that international experience is crucial for improving the functioning of local self-government bodies in Ukraine, and public control over their activities is a factor stimulating the improvement of the implementation of their powers. The need for all countries to coordinate and improve the legal framework for effective cooperation at the municipal level is emphasized. The study notes that under martial law in Ukraine, methods of public control over the functioning of local self-government bodies are limited. Based on the analysis of the aforementioned works, forms of international cooperation in the field of public control over the exercise of local power have been determined.