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Back An anti-corruption code for Ukrainian municipalities

On 15 October 2024, the city of Fastiv, Ukraine, presented key results of a Congress-supported local initiative in this community: a local anti-corruption code and a novel anti-corruption chatbot where users can browse related legislation and practices, and alert authorities about alleged cases of corruption. The anti-corruption code, based on the European Code of Conduct for all Persons Involved in Local and Regional Governance (adopted by the Congress in 2018) will serve as a model to replicate for Ukrainian communities.

The code was presented to members of the Ukrainian Parliament, the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development, local elected representatives, national associations of local and regional authorities, non-governmental organisations and the State Agency on civil service, meeting in Fastiv for a round-table on democracy, integrity and European integration. Discussions focused on practical steps to enhance democratic participation, mitigate corruption risks and increase public trust, as part of Ukraine’s efforts to strengthen public ethics in governance.

“Open local government and strong public ethics are key to building confidence in public institutions. In this endeavour, local governments, local elected representatives, and civil servants have a crucial role to play in fostering and sustaining trust building and participatory decision making,” underlined James Moloney (Ireland, L/ ILDG), Deputy Spokesperson on Ethics and Prevention of Corruption, in his video address. He also highlighted the importance of the European Code of Conduct as a tool for local and regional elected representatives and public officials to prevent corruption and bolster public ethics and integrity.

The event was organised by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities jointly with the City of Fastiv and the Ukraine’s Parliamentary Committee on the Organisation of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning. It is part of the project “Strengthening multi-level governance, democracy and human rights at local level in Ukraine” implemented by the Congress within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” for 2023-2026. The project supports Ukrainian local and regional authorities and their national associations in building dialogue and contributing to the development of relevant legislative frameworks and recovery plans. It is also aimed at boosting democratic innovation, fostering transparency and open governance that put residents, including vulnerable groups, at the centre of local decision making.

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