The Law of Ukraine “On Local Self-Government” as an instrument of legal support for decentralization

The article is devoted to the study of the Law of Ukraine ‘On Local Self-Government in Ukraine’ dated 21.05.1997 No. 280/97-ВР as a key legal act providing the institutional and legal framework for the implementation of the decentralisation reform in Ukraine. Decentralisation is one of the key areas of public administration reform in Ukraine aimed at strengthening the role of local communities in addressing local issues, improving the efficiency of governance and ensuring sustainable development of territories. The author focuses on the significance of this Law in the process of transferring powers from central government to local self-government bodies, which is in line with European standards of public administration, in particular the principle of subsidiarity. The article analyses the content of the basic provisions of the Law, in particular, the definition of local self-government, powers of councils and executive bodies, and the status of a territorial community as the primary subject of self-government. The author distinguishes between the own and delegated powers of local councils, and describes the legal, organisational and financial guarantees for their implementation. Particular attention is paid to the role of territorial communities in the formation of capable local authorities, as well as to the mechanisms of legal regulation of their activities after the changes introduced by the 2015 reform. The article reveals the impact of Law No. 280/97-ВР on the formation of a new model of local governance based on the principles of openness, efficiency and accountability. The importance of adapting the provisions of the Law to the conditions of the new administrative-territorial system formed after the formation of amalgamated territorial communities and consolidation of rayons in 2020 is emphasised. The author concludes that the Law ‘On Local Self-Government in Ukraine’ is not only a regulatory framework for the organisation of local government, but also an effective tool for ensuring sustainable development of communities, their financial and managerial self-sufficiency. Its further improvement is a prerequisite for the successful completion of the decentralisation reform and ensuring a democratic system in Ukraine.