Decentralisation reform in Ukraine as an element of the legal mechanism for overcoming corruption
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35774/app2023.03.130Keywords:
transparency, corruption, decentralisation, anti-corruption, public authorities, official informationAbstract
The article is devoted to the study of the process of reforming the national anti-corruption legislation and its impact on the decentralisation reform in Ukraine. Decentralisation is considered to be one of the most effective means of combating corruption in public authorities and local self-government. Possible risks in the implementation of decentralisation are identified. According to international rankings, the level of corruption in most economically developed countries is significantly lower than in less developed countries. According to international partners, this goal is achieved not only through mandatory norms and punishment mechanisms, but also through preventive measures to combat corruption, i.e., by creating conditions that prevent the development of state corruption schemes in state executive authorities and local governments. Ukraine is in the process of reforms aimed primarily at overcoming corruption, which has become a systemic negative phenomenon in the country.
The purpose of the article is to define decentralisation of power as an element of the legal mechanism for overcoming corruption in the state executive authorities and local self-government bodies, and to study the possible risks of its introduction.
The author concludes that despite the risks, it is worth recognising that administrative decentralisation in Ukraine is one of the most effective and successful means of fighting corruption. Strengthening local governments will give local officials more control over the use of local funds, increase accountability, which will have a positive impact on the prevention of corruption, as it is more visible at the local level and therefore easier to control. In the fight against corruption, it is extremely important to give civil society control over the activities of local governments, as this will reduce the chances of implementing corruption schemes that have undermined the development of our country since its foundation.
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