DEVELOPMENT OF UKRAINE’S ADMINISTRATIVE AND TERRITORIAL SYSTEM IS A RESPONSE TO MILITARY CHALLENGES

Abstract

The problems associated with incompetent land and resource management, inefficient administrative and land taxation systems are especially acute in the face of geopolitical threats and military challenges. The shadow land economy, concealed use of almost half of the shares, socially unfair re-distribution of land resources, and ability to buy hundreds of houses and grounds by one person, and land tax evasion are undermining the communities’ budgets as well as the foundations of social and economic development in rural areas. The paper highlights the need to improve and further develop the administrative and territorial system in Ukraine under the conditions of military challenges. It also presents a journey into the history of administrative and territorial reforms implemented on Ukrainian lands and gives an analysis of similar experience in other countries. The administrative and territorial reforms in European countries managed to combat separatist tendencies. In Europe, the gentrification and urbanization processes preserve the settlement system and sustain the settlement network. However, in Ukraine, even during the war, city authorises continue to support multi-storey residential development projects for city centres, thus undermining the ability of the cities to respond to military threats. The study reveals shortcomings of the current administrative and territorial system and identifies negative patterns in the land taxation system and those associated with socially just re-distribution of land resources. It also proposes a new regional regulation system for Ukraine and presents managerial and regulatory strategies to rationalize main territorial units, namely communities and areas. The ways to increase the sustainability of territories economically, socially, demographically and militarily, are also described. The administrative and territorial reform can only be successful in a socially and economically just society regarding the issues of land recourse re-distribution, taxation system, and infrastructure development.