Poroshenko urges Rada to back constitutional reform on decentralization on Aug 31
KYIV. Aug 29 (Interfax) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has called on the Verkhovna Rada deputies to support a bill on amending the constitution regarding decentralization of power at an extraordinary parliamentary session scheduled for August 31.
"We have gathered today so that you could listen to the president, the Verkhovna Rada chairman, and the deputy prime minister in charge of regional policy and I and the Ukrainian people could listen to you and we could find a common ground and work out solid arguments for true people's deputies," Poroshenko said at a meeting with members of territorial communities in Kyiv on Saturday.
"On August 31, on Monday, at the Verkhovna Rada's extraordinary session, after 24 years, finally give the green light to a reform on delegating powers to territorial communities, to the local level," Poroshenko said.
A constitutional reform on decentralization has no alternative for Ukraine, and this reform should not be postponed on the pretext that war is under way in the eastern part of the country, he said.
"War is not a pretext for not conducting reforms. And we will be changing the law enforcement system, building efficient mechanisms to combat corruption, taking efficient steps to build a fair judicial system, creating a system to build an efficient investment climate in the economy, and conducting decentralization reform," Poroshenko said.