On February 23, a roundtable discussion on “How to counteract political corruption: a recipe for change” was organized in Transcarpathian regional organization of the Committee of Voters of Ukraine in Uzhgorod Press Club.

During the event, the participants discussed a bill concerning the use by political parties of funds received from the state budget of Ukraine for financing their statutory activities. The draft law defines exactly which parties can spend money, establish responsibility for their misuse, and proposes, at the legislative level, to determine the share of funds that the parties must allocate to the development of their local branches.

The participants also discussed the CVU initiative on a “party house”. The idea arose from the monitoring of the rental of communal property by political parties. In essence, the proposal is to unify the algorithm of transferring all political parties to the lease of communal real estate on preferential terms as an analogue of a hostel, social housing.

Mykola Yatskov, a representative of the Institute Republica, the regional coordinator of the “Active Community”,  supported the general state financing of political parties, made a proposal regarding the direction of spending of state resources. It is necessary to improve the quality of preparation of party activists. Indeed, the Institute Republica, observing the work of local authorities, almost does not see the proposals of alternative policies from the parliamentary body and parties. Most decisions are made by the executive bodies of local councils and in the absence of a professional discussion. Of course, the deputies can not be competent in all matters, but why not allocate part of the funds to regional think tanks, groups of advisers on narrow questions and internship programs for young people?

“Construction on the basis of local government” party houses “is possible only as an incubation of young political leaders and support of” poor “political parties, who need primarily not an office, but a platform for the rostrum and fees. However, the provision of any benefits or benefits to the parties is incorrect and may be declared unlawful in view of the requirements of Art. 15 of the Law of Ukraine “On Political Parties in Ukraine”, – summed up Mykola .

Olena Bilanina, Institute Republica