Draft bills #12185 and 12186 of November 7, 2024
Cosponsors: 17 MPs from the Servant of the People faction, the Trust group, and independents with Maksym Dyrdin as the first signatory
Who is affected: local self-government bodies (LSGBs)
Status: send for review to the Committee on State Administration, Local Governance, Regional Development, and Urban Planning and the Law Enforcement Committee
Summary:
- it will be required to record all meetings of local councils on video
- LSGBs’ officials will be held accountable for:
- any tempering with the recordings of meetings (deletion, damage, editing, cutting, or other alterations that distort the content) — with a fine of 425 to 850 UAH
- for the failure to preserve or publish a full video recording of a meeting on the official website of the council — with a fine of 425 to 850 UAH.
What is right: penalties for obstructing recordings of meetings of local councils are important for ensuring transparency and openness in the work of local self-government bodies. These recordings allow citizens to access real information about decisions made and the discussion process, strengthening their trust in local authorities. Video recording may also help prevent manipulation and abuse during decision-making and increase the accountability of local councilors to the community.