On November 24 the shadow report “Experience with Local Referendums in Ukraine as an Element of Local Democracy” was presented in Chernihiv. The presentation took place within the framework of a working group meeting at the Subcommittee on Elections and Referendums of the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Legal Policy and Justice.
The meeting was organized by the Agency for Legislative Initiatives in cooperation with MP Oleksandr Chernenko, co-chair of the Subcommittee on Elections and Referendums, within USAID RADA Program: Responsible Accountable Democratic Assembly implemented by the East Europe Foundation.
An opening speech was delivered by Valerii Kulich, Head of Chernihiv Oblast State Administration.
Tetiana Chernukha, project coordinator of the Agency for Legislative Initiatives, presented the results of a study on the practice of initiating and conducting local referendums in Ukraine from 1991 to 2012 (i.e. during the period when law No. 1286-12 On National and Local Referendums dated 1991 was in force).
Another speaker Maksym Latsyba, Ukrainian Center for Independent Political Research, Director of USAID “Citizens in Action Project”, made a presentation on “Legal Framework for Mechanisms of Local Democracy”.
Shadow reports are a method, new to Ukraine, to communicate information and policy alternatives regarding the implementation of government programs to the public.
Presentation of Shadow Reports in committees of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is part of the project carried out by the Agency for Legislative Initiatives within the USAID RADA Program: Responsible Accountable Democratic Assembly implemented by the East Europe Foundation.