Prefects for overseeing local government decisions: Elena Shulyak shared when to expect the law's adoption.

The Head of the Committee on the Organization of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development, and Urban Planning of the Verkhovna Rada, Elena Shulyak, stated that the consideration of the draft law on the introduction of the prefect institution is expected in early 2025. She made this remark in response to a question from "Vidomosti" during an online conference with representatives of regional media.

"In 2016, we abolished the prosecutor's oversight concerning the legality of local government decisions, decentralization continued, and communities received more powers and resources. However, complex issues related to the oversight of local self-government bodies, particularly those concerning accountability and citizen protection, remained. Today, we see various decisions being made in our local councils, especially regarding land issues or communal property; we would like some of these decisions to be revoked as soon as possible," the MP noted.

According to Shulyak, draft law 4298, which is under discussion, has been included in the Ukraine Facility – a program running until 2027, under which Ukraine will receive 50 million euros from international partners.

"This is significant funding for us. This program includes indicators, each of which carries a monetary value. One of the indicators is the adoption of the relevant draft law concerning the introduction of the prefect institution in Ukraine, which will oversee the legality of decisions made by local self-government bodies. The timeline is set for the first quarter of 2025. Given that this is tied to receiving funds, I hope the Verkhovna Rada will not let us down," Shulyak stated.

The leader of the "Servant of the People" party acknowledged that there are questions regarding this draft law from the Association of Ukrainian Cities, and there is ongoing dialogue with communities and experts. Vitaliy Bezgin is addressing this issue within the committee.

"We are striving to eliminate all sharp edges and present a document to the session hall that has undergone extensive consultations," Shulyak concluded.