First Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine,

Ambassador, dear Borys, Parliamentarians,

Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, dear Despina,

Secretary General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe,
dear Mathieu,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to open this third high-level dialogue on Good Democratic Governance in Ukraine.

Dear Oleksandr, both you and I signed the Joint Declaration on Good Governance –

Following the first Dialogue session, in 2022.

The fact that the work continues here today is testament to the success that has been achieved –

And our shared determination to build on it –

As well as the strength, diversity and talent of the Ukrainian delegation joining us here today –

Along with many others.

I am pleased to welcome representatives of the central authorities, parliamentarians from a range of political parties and, very importantly, members of the associations of local authorities.

Together, we have the means and the will to ensure reform that will deliver strong, stable and democratic institutions for the long-term in Ukraine –

And for the benefit of all Ukrainians.

Let me briefly put this in the context of the Council of Europe’s broader support for Ukraine –

In light of the Russian Federation’s appalling war of aggression.

In the immediate aftermath of the full-scale invasion, we were quick to suspend and then exclude Russia from our Organisation.

Since then, we have done everything we can to support Ukraine.

And, with the endorsement of European leaders at last year’s Reykjavík Summit of Heads of State and Government –

We have put in place measures to ensure accountability for Russia’s crimes –

Accountability that is central to President Zelenskyy’s formula for a just and sustainable peace.

These measures include our new Register of Damage –

Which became fully operational in April –

With offices in Kyiv and The Hague –

And which is recording the loss and harm being inflicted on the ground.

The Register has already received thousands of submissions –

And is the first and necessary step towards an international compensation mechanism –

In which the Council of Europe is fully engaged and ready to play whatever part is asked of us –

Just as we are with any future Special Tribunal on the crime of aggression –

And which we are discussing within the Core Group.

On top of this, we have our Action Plan on Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction –

Which is helping the Ukrainian authorities to reinforce democratic institutions now and moving forward –

As negotiations start, we are ready to assist the country with the reforms required to meet standards needed for EU membership.

We have also helped member states to meet the physical and psychological needs of Ukrainian refugees who have come to them in search of safety – also our Bank plays an important role here.

And we have established a Contact Group on the Children of Ukraine to support them wherever they may be on our continent.

Indeed, the Council of Europe has been supporting Ukrainian partners in making key democratic reforms for over a decade now –

With both the Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress playing crucial roles in that process –

And which continue with this High-Level Dialogue.

On both free, fair and democratic elections –

And the decentralisation of power, there was already pre-war success.

The 2020 local elections –

These elections were a gateway to the decentralisation of power –

Which, by 2022, 77% of the public wanted to go even further.

But because of the war, military authorities have now replaced some civil administrations –

And some financial decentralisation has also been curtailed.

This is highly understandable in the current context.

And we also need to look ahead more broadly at what must be done beyond the war, whenever that time comes –

To discuss the process for post-war elections, held to the highest possible standards –

To consider the role of local and regional authorities in planning, funding and implementing reconstruction –

And, beyond martial law, how to bring about the constitutional change required to further decentralise power –

With a clear distribution of tasks between the levels of government.

Many of these issues will be addressed in the Council of Europe’s new Action Plan on Ukraine –

Which is being finalised –

And there has already been substantial joint work on the revision of the draft law on Local State Administration –

With your important participation, first Deputy speaker –

As well as a legal opinion.

Just last month, the Verkhovna Rada also adopted a law on citizen participation –

Integrating 36 of the 39 recommendations made in the Council of Europe’s legal opinion on that.

Dear friends,

Today is an opportunity for you to discuss all of this – as well as –

The hurdles that might exist to further progress –

And how we can clear these together.

Recent reforms, opinion polls and your presence here all tell the same story.

That there exists the hunger for further reform with good, clear and effective governance –

Supported by decentralisation.

As you know so very well, Ukraine is fighting for a free, democratic and European future.

Together, we will all play our parts in delivering it.

Thank you for your attention.