EUROPEAN INTEGRATION PRINCIPLES OF TERRITORIAL – ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The declaration of independence of Ukraine and the deep social, economic and political transformation of Ukrainian society are the historical factors that trigger the need for the new regional policy based on the improvement of territorial and administrative structure. Such reforms should be based on a strategic vision of new Ukrainian ideology of regional development governance, local government and territorial organization of national economy. The current importance of faster solution of the issues is derived from the negative developments across all areas of society in Ukraine and in the regions; the necessity to avoid threats to its integrity; the addressing the problems of military operations in the eastern regions. In this regard we propose to reform the regional policy of Ukraine in direct connection with the implementation of the comprehensive territorial and administrative reorganization. The implementation of new territorial and administrative system in Ukraine may be considered as one of the important steps towards ensuring the reform of regional policy based on the current features of social and economic regional development, the changes in their geospatial organizations due to the gravitational processes taking place at the interregional and intraregional levels. At the moment the Ukrainian government believes that the territorial and administrative reform should be carried out only at the community level based on the principles of decentralization and improving of the effectiveness of local governments. The evidence of this approach is the amalgamation of villages, towns and cities in order to enhance their social and economic potential and to expand their financial capabilities. Key words : Ukraine, territorial - administrative structure, regional policy, community, district, area