The Vekhovna Rada (VR) Committee on State Development, Regional Policy and Local Self-Administration recommended that Parliament reconvene in order to rework the legislation “On introduction to changes to some Ukrainian laws (in accordance with rendering free legal support to citizens)”#2103.

The press office of Apparatus VR of Ukraine reported that a proposal was introduced to the legislature to change the laws “On citizen appeals”, “On local state administrations”, “On local self-administration in Ukraine” in order to establish rights for citizens whose income is below poverty line so that they might obtain free legal support from the local powers. The new legislation would also define the action which local powers must take when addressing the citizen appeals.

In the mind of committee members, the criteria for determining which persons require free legal support as defined in the legislation was not adequate. Additionally, members objected on the basis of Section 2.24 of the Constitution, which details that privileges of an individual cannot be based on income or estate. Furthermore, concerns were raised that, with changes, the law would be vulnerable to abuses and manipulation.

Committee members contended that the local bodies responsible for implementation of the law would be opposed to the action, as free legal support is not generally considered to be a local concern.. Moreover, the state must be responsible for financing such an action. However, there are is no statement concerning this in the legislation, nor are there any propositions for recovering costs or transferring powers to the local level in Section3.86 of the VR of Ukraine Agenda.

Source: LIGABusinessInform, 21.11.2006, www.liga.net