CONDITIONS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF ASYMMETRIC DECENTRALIZATION IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The article reveals the essence of asymmetric decentralization as a form of political decentralization, its ideological basis and institutional purpose, defines the conditions that open the prospects of its implementation in Ukraine. It is shown that asymmetric decentralization is a kind of political decentralization the results of which provide regional authorities with unequal powers. Its institutional purpose is to provide regions with relative autonomy in the political, legal, material, financial, ethnocultural or other senses in order to resolve regional conflicts and overcome the separatist sentiment. Such autonomy makes it possible to protect the rights of the citizens and realize the interests of certain historically developed regions, where there are significant differences in historical, cultural, geopolitical, ethno-political, economic plans.

The ideological base of the asymmetric decentralization in Ukraine is the European “new regionalism” that justifies the principle of reproduction of the political identity of the region. It is based on improving the efficiency in administration, reducing corruption, involving citizens in the governance on the basis of participatory democracy, ensuring democratic standards, improving the quality of the administrative services, and economic growth.

It is argued that the European choice is orientating Ukraine to the path of “new regionalism”. However, under present conditions, asymmetric decentralization does not have the support of the political forces and the population of the regions. A characteristic feature of modern Ukraine is its institutional weakness. Nevertheless, the author argues that the preservation of decentralization processes will leave Ukraine on the sidelines of the European path of development for a long time. The conclusion is that decent decentralization, which is adequate for Ukraine, can admit elements of asymmetry only under certain conditions: the break-up of the party-oligarchic system, the introduction of the mechanisms of moderate party pluralism, the existence of mechanisms of party-conspiring and consensual democracy, the strengthening of the cultural-institutional environment and the foundations of the local self-government, the optimization and rationalization of the public administration, the democratization of the sociopolitical life in general.