Draft bill #9518 of July 24, 2023 

Cosponsors: 31 MPs from the factions Servant of the People and Holos, groups Trust and For the Future with Vitalii Bezhin as the first signatory 

Status: adopted in full 

Who is affected: local self-government bodies and starosta districts 

Summary: 

  • the bill expands the criteria used during the creation of starosta districts to include population density in addition to population numbers. Currently, starosta district is a unit of an administrative division within communities, and starostas perform primarily representative functions 
  • minimum population required for a starosta district will be decreased from 500 to 200 residents 
  • starosta districts will be introduced in all localities within territorial communities (except for administrative centers of territorial communities) 
  • a starosta will remain in office until a new starosta is appointed. Residents of the starosta district will elect their starosta, and then the head of the relevant local council will approve the appointment (currently, starostas are dismissed together with local councils that appointed them) 
  • it will be allowed to hold public discussions regarding candidates for starosta online. Also, starostas will be allowed to report to the community and local council online 
  • if the local council is incapacitated, the village, settlement, or city head will be allowed to appoint a starosta unilaterally 
  • starostas will be allowed to participate in meetings of self-organization bodies (house, street, and block committees) 
  • the resignation procedure for starostas who want to resign in the event of occupation or encirclement of their starosta districts will be simplified 
  • if a starosta is mobilized, the village, settlement, or city head will be able to appoint an acting starosta, maintaining the social security guarantees the position entails. 

Why this is important: starosta districts enhance citizen participation in decision-making since the starosta serves as a mediator between district residents and local self-government bodies. Additionally, the expansion of the powers of starostas will facilitate more efficient resource utilization, as starostas are better acquainted with the needs and issues of their respective districts. 

What is right: MPs managed to improve the functioning of the institution of starosta despite the full-scale war, temporary occupation of some areas of Ukraine, and martial law.