Abstract
The most notable element of Ukraine’s decentralization reform is a merging of municipalities into amalgamated territorial communities (ATCs). While the implementation of the reform is slower and more chaotic than anticipated, the reform has widely been hailed as one of the country’s biggest success stories since the Euromaidan Revolution. Scholarly literature on decentralization acknowledges its potential to, among other things, increase popular participation, improve service delivery, and strengthen legitimacy, but also warns of the “dangers of decentralization,” including local elite capture. This chapter argues that there is substantial reason to assume that there is a real risk of elite capture in the current decentralization reform, and suggests that not enough is being done by the central government to mitigate this risk.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
The reform concept can be consulted here: http://zakon5.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/333-2014-%D1%80.
- 2.
The proposed constitutional amendments can be consulted here: http://w1.c1.rada.gov.ua/pls/zweb2/webproc4_1?pf3511=55812.
- 3.
The Law of Ukraine “On Voluntary Amalgamation of Territorial Communities” can be consulted here: http://zakon5.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/15719/print1457728359241365.
- 4.
See “Petro Poroshenko: Detsentralizatsiya stala odnieiu z nayuspishnishykh, nayrezul′tatyvnishykh reform” [Decentralization became one of most successful reforms, reforms with best results,” December 4, 2017, https://prm.ua/petro-poroshenko-detsentralizatsiya-stala-odniyeyu-z-nayuspishnishih-nayrezultativnishih-reform/.
- 5.
E.g. Ministry of Regional Development, Detsentralizatsiya. Vykonannya dokhodiv mistsevykh byudzhetiv za 10 mesiatsiv 2016 roku [Decentralization. Execution of the revenue of local budgets during the first 10 months of 2016], http://old.decentralization.gov.ua/pics/attachments/MinReg_December-mini_(DRUK).pdf.
- 6.
By the end of 2019, the number of newly formed ATCs had increased to 995.
- 7.
Calculations made on the basis of data from https://gromada.info/.
- 8.
Elena Dospekhova, “Anatolyi Tkachuk: Vtoraya volna dobrovol′nogo ob′edineniya obshchin nachnyotsya vo vtorom polugodii 2016 g., nezavisimo ot togo, khochet etogo politikum ili net.” [Anatolyi Tkachuk: Second wave of communities’ voluntary amalgamation will start in the second half of 2016, independent of whether politicians want it or not], June 5, 2016, http://www.dsnews.ua/temy_nomerov/anatoliy-tkachuk-vtoraya-volna-dobrovolnogo-obedineniya-05062016212800.
- 9.
An example is the Zarichansk village in the Zakarpattya Oblast, which, according to one account, “reminds one of a separate principality which exists outside the democratic state and acts according to its own laws” under its autocratic village head. See Mila Serheeva, “Sil′rada chi udil′ne kniazivstvo” [Council of the village or the local principality], August 5, 2010, http://archive.mistovechirne.in.ua/content/archive/989-2010-08-05-08-04-19.
- 10.
Executive–legislative relations on self-government are determined through the 1997 Law of Ukraine “On Local Self-Government in Ukraine.”
- 11.
The affiliation of candidates in the local legislative council elections of 2015 and 2016 can be consulted on the website of the Central Election Commission: http://www.cvk.gov.ua/pls/vm2015/wm001.
- 12.
See article 5 of the Law of Ukraine “On Voluntary Amalgamation of Territorial Communities,” Vidomosti Verkhovnoi Rady, 2015, no. 13
- 13.
E.g. “Dve storony detsentralizatsii v Ukraine” [Two sides of decentralization in Ukraine], June 30, 2017, http://hvylya.net/analytics/politics/dve-storonyi-detsentralizatsii-v-ukraine.html.
- 14.
“Stalo vidomo, yak mer Irpenia Karpliuk khoche rozshyryty svoi volodinnia do Zhytomyrskoi trasy” [It becomes known how the mayor of Irpin Karpliuk wants to broaden his land up to Zhytomyr road”], February 26, 2017, http://mykyivregion.com.ua/2017/02/26/stali-vidomo-yak-mer-irpenya-karplyuk-hoche-rozshiriti-svoyi-volodinnya-do-zhitomirskoyi-trasi/.
- 15.
“Ob′ednana terirotorial′na hromada chy Polianc′ka huberniia (Lyst u redaktsiiu)” [Amalgamated territorial community or Polianc′ka province, Letter to the editorial office], September 13, 2016, from: https://zakarpattya.net/Обєднана-територіальна-громада-чи-П/.
- 16.
“Lial′kovodstvo Dubnevychiv ta parad samovysuvantsiv: vybory u 8 OTG L′vivshchyny 29 zhovtnia” [Puppeteer Dubnevychiv and the parade of self-nominated: elections in eight ATCs of Lviv region on October 29], October 8, 2017, http://varta.com.ua/news/ukraine/1143485.
- 17.
“Formirovanie territoryy gromad: nel′zya dat′ oblsovetam sozdavat′ votchiny—ekspert” [The formation of communities’ territory: oblast councils shall not be allowed to create principalities,” February 9, 2018, https://www.ukrinform.ru/rubric-regions/2400149-formirovanie-territorij-gromad-nelza-dat-oblsovetam-sozdavat-votciny-ekspert.html.
- 18.
The prospective plan of Odesa Oblast can be consulted at: http://ofis.odessa.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/protokol-10.pdf.
- 19.
The prospective plan of Kharkiv Oblast can be consulted at: http://old.kharkivoda.gov.ua/uk/article/static/id/802.
- 20.
E.g. “Detsentralizatsiia na Kharkovshchine: tsel′ opravdyvaet sredstva?” [Decentralization at Kharkiv region: End justifies the means], July 14, 2017, http://insidernews.info/decentralizaciya-na-xarkovshhine-cel-opravdyvaet-sredstva/; “U Holobs′kiy OTG—Skandal cherez lyst z pidroblenymy pidpysamy” [In Holobs′kiy ATC there is a scandal due to a letter with fake signatures], November 29, 2016, Retrieved from https://www.volynnews.com/news/authority/u-holobskiy-oth-skandal-cherez-lyst-z-pidroblenymy-pidpysamy.
- 21.
Information about the candidates in the ATC elections can be found on the website of Ukraine’s Central Election Commission, http://www.cvk.gov.ua.
- 22.
“Na Odeshchinyni holosami vybortsiv torhuyut′ u mahazinakh” [In Odesa region people’s votes are traded in shops], October 27, 2017, http://podrobnosti.ua/2207161-na-odeschin-golosami-vibortsv-torgujut-u-magazinah-vdeo.html.
- 23.
“Vyboroy v Tairovskiy OTG: psevdovybortsi ta vydalennia z dit′nytsi kandidata i sposterihacha” [Elections in Tairovskiy ATC: Fake voters and the removal of a candidate and observer from the polling station], December 24, 2017, https://izbirkom.org.ua/news/vybory-2016-26/2017/vibori-v-tayirovskii-otg-psevdovibortsi-ta-vidalennia-z-dilnitsi-kandidata-i-sposterigacha.
- 24.
Interviews with ATC heads, other executive committee members, and council members in Konoplyane ATC, Krasnosilska ATC, Marazliivka ATC, Rozkvit ATC, Velyka Mykhaylivka ATC, Rohan′ ATC, Nova Vodolaha ATC, and Staryi Saltiv ATC.
- 25.
Yurii Hanushchak, one of the main experts on decentralization in Ukraine, for instance, drafted a model of ATC creation according to which 1,408 ATCs would be formed. See http://despro.org.ua/media/articles/dodatok1.pdf.
References
Aasland, Aadne, and Oleksii Lyska. 2016. Local Democracy in Ukrainian Cities: Civic Participation and Responsiveness of Local Authorities. Post-Soviet Affairs 32 (2): 152–175.
Asotsiatsiya Spriyannya Samoorhanizatsii Naselennya [Association for Promoting Population Self-Organization]. 2016. Periferiyni Terytoriyi Ob′ednanykh Hromad: Mekhanizm Zakhistu Prav ta Realizatsiyi Interesiv (na Prykladi Pivdnya Ukrayiny). Samoorg. [The Peripheral Territories of the United Communities: A Mechanism for the Protection of Rights and the Realization of Interests], July 7.
Avksent′ev, Anton. 2017a. Elektoral′nyi Rakurs Detsentralizatsii na Kharkovshchine: Vybory v Zolochevskoi OTG. Analitychnyi Tsentr «Observatoriia Demokratii» [Democracy Observatory Think Tank], November 26, 2019. http://od.org.ua/en/.
———. 2017b. Khroniki detsentralizatsii v Kharkovskoi oblasti: sentyabr′-noyabr′ 2017 goda [Chronicles of Decentralization in the Kharkiv Region: September-November 2017], December 1. Newsroom. http://newsroom.kh.ua/blog/hroniki-decentralizacii-v-harkovskoy-oblasti-sentyabr-noyabr-2017-goda.
———. 2017c. Sami sebe khoziaeva: kak prokhodit detsentralizatsiia v Kharkovskoi oblast, 12 June 2017. Accessed May 3, 2018. http://newsroom.kh.ua/blog/sami-sebe-hozyaeva-kak-prohodit-decentralizaciya-v-harkovskoy-oblasti.
Azfar, Omar, and Jeffrey Livingston. 2002. Federalist Disciplines or Local Capture? An Empirical Analysis of Decentralization in Uganda. University of Maryland, Center for Institutional Reform and the Informal Center.
Azfar, Omar, Satu Kähkönen, and Patrick Meagher. 2001. Conditions for Effective Decentralized Governance: A Synthesis of Research Findings. University of Maryland, Center for Institutional Reform and the Informal Sector.
Bardhan, Pranab. 1997. Corruption and Development: A Review of Issues. Journal of Economic Literature 35 (3): 1320–1346.
———. 2002. Decentralization of Governance and Development. The Journal of Economic Perspectives 16 (4): 185–205.
Bardhan, Pranab, and Dilip Mookherjee. 2000. Capture and Governance at Local and National Levels. The American Economic Review 90 (2): 135–139.
Blair, Harry. 1998. Spreading Power to the Periphery: An Assessment of Democratic Local Governance. Washington, DC: U.S. Agency for International Development.
Brinkerhoff, Derick W., and Omar Azfar. 2006. Decentralization and Community Empowerment: Does Community Empowerment Deepen Democracy and Improve Service Delivery. Washington, DC: USAID.
Brinkerhoff, Derick W., and Arthur A. Goldsmith. 2004. Good Governance, Clientelism, and Patrimonialism: New Perspectives on Old Problems. International Public Management Journal 7: 163–186.
Cammack, Diana, Fred Golooba-Mutebi, Fidelis Kanyongolo, and Tam O’Neil. 2007. Neopatrimonial Politics, Decentralisation and Local Government: Uganda and Malawi in 2006. London: Overseas Development Institute.
Chumak, Viktor, and Ihor Shevliakov. 2009. Local Government Functioning and Reform in Ukraine. In An Overview of Analytical Studies of Local Government System and Local Services Provision in Ukraine. Oslo: Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research.
Conyers, Diana. 2000. Decentralisation: A Conceptual Analysis (Parts 1 and 2). Local Government Perspectives: News and Views on Local Government in Sub-Saharan Africa 7 (3): 1–13.
Crook, Richard C. 2003. Decentralisation and Poverty Reduction in Africa: the Politics of Local–Central Relations. Public Administration and Development 23 (1): 77–88.
Crook, Richard C., and James Manor. 1998. Democracy and Decentralisation in South Asia and West Africa: Participation, Accountability and Performance. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
De Mello, Luiz R., Jr. 2004. Can Fiscal Decentralization Strengthen Social Capital? Public Finance Review 32 (1): 4–35.
Diamond, Larry, and Svetlana Tsalik. 1999. Size and Democracy. The Case for Decentralization. In Developing Democracy. Toward Consolidation, ed. Larry Diamond, 117–160. Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
Diprose, Rachael, and Ukoha Ukiwo. 2008. Decentralisation and Conflict Management in Indonesia and Nigeri. Oxford: University of Oxford Centre for Research on Inequality, Human Security and Ethnicity.
Fisun, Oleksandr. 2015. The Future of Ukraine’s Neopatrimonial Democracy. PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo No. 394. http://www.ponarseurasia.org/memo/future-ukraine-neopatrimonial-democracy.
Hanushchak, Yurii. 2013. Reforma Teritorialnoi Orhanizatsii Vladi. Kyiv: DESPRO.
Hetland, Øivind. 2008. Decentralisation and Territorial Reorganisation in Mali: Power and the Institutionalisation of Local Politics. Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift-Norwegian Journal of Geography 62 (1): 23–35.
Hutchcroft, Paul D. 2001. Centralization and Decentralization in Administration and Politics: Assessing Territorial Dimensions of Authority and Power. Governance 14 (1): 23–53.
Kopyt′ko, Aleksey. 2017. Knyazhestvo svoimi rukami: budni detsentralizatsii, 17 March. Accessed May 5, 2018. http://sprotyv.info/ru/news/kiev/knyazhestvo-svoimi-rukami-budni-decentralizacii.
Krupnik, A. S. et al. 2016. Uchasti hromads′kosti v ob”ednanni ta rozvitku teritorial′nykh hromad [Public Participation in Integration and Development of Territorial Communities] Analtical Note on the Results of the Interregional Research. Odesa: Renaissance. http://www.irf.ua/content/files/draft_doslidzhennya.pdf.
Levchenko, Ihor. 2017. Tretiy Rik Detsentralizatsii: Prohres, Feodalizatsiia Chi Destabilizatsiia? [The Third Year of Decentralization: Progress, Feudalisation or Destabilization?], May 31. Glavkom. https://glavcom.ua/publications/tretiy-rik-decentralizaciji-progres-feodalizaciya-chi-destabilizaciya-417860.html.
Meinzen-Dick, Ruth, and Anna Knox. 1999. Collective Action, Property Rights, and Devolution of Natural Resource Management: A Conceptual Framework. Draft Paper for Workshop, July 15.
Migdal, Joel. 1998. Strong Societies and Weak States: State-Society Relations and Capabilities in the Third World. Princenton: Princeton University Press.
Ostrom, Elinor, Larry Schroeder, and Susan Wynne. 1993. Institutional Incentives and Sustainable Development: Infrastructure Policies in Perspective. Boulder, CO: Westview.
Pozhyvanov, Mikhaylo. 2017. Unified Territorial Communities: There Is Currently More Harm Than Good. Radiosvoboda, September 26. https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/28757609.html.
Ribot, Jesse C. 2002. African Decentralization: Local Actors, Powers and Accountability. UNRISD Programme on Democracy, Governance and Human Rights, Paper no. 8.
Seddon, Jessica. 2002. Participation, Civil Society, and Decentralization. In Decentralization Briefing Notes, ed. Jennie Litvack and Jessica Seddon. Washington, DC: World Bank Institute.
Sydorchuk, Oleksii. 2015. Decentralization Reform in Ukraine: Prospects and Challenges. Kyiv: Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Charitable Foundation.
Tkachuk, Anatolii. 2012. Mistseve Samovryaduvannya ta Destsentralizatsiya [Local Self-Government and Destentralization]. Kyiv: DESPRO.
———. 2017. Pro Detsentralizatsiyu, Uspikhy, Ryzyky I rol′ Parlamentu [On Decentralization, Success, Risks and the Role of Parliament]. Dzerkalo Tizhnya, January 13.
Webster, Neil. 1993. Panchayati Raj in West Bengal: Popular Participation for the People or the Party? Development and Change 23 (4): 129–163.
Zelenina, Elena. 2017. Detsentralizatsiia kak Vektor Publichnoi Politiki [Decentralization as a Vector of Public Policy]. Timeua, May 26. Accessed May 5, 2018. http://timeua.info/post/oborona-i-bezopasnost/decentralizaciya-kak-vektor-publichnoj-politiki-07754.html.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Bader, M. (2020). Decentralization and a Risk of Local Elite Capture in Ukraine. In: Shelest, H., Rabinovych, M. (eds) Decentralization, Regional Diversity, and Conflict. Federalism and Internal Conflicts. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41765-9_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41765-9_9
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-41764-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-41765-9
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)