Enhancement of security and stability. ‪#‎EUAM‬ sets cooperation with authorities of Kharkiv Region

April 20, 2015

On 20th of April 2015, a delegation of the European Union Advisory Mission (EUAM) Outreach Team led by the Deputy Head of the EUAM Mr. Hugues Fantou held meetings with the authorities of Kharkiv Region presenting the Mission activities, discussing the situation in the ‘oblast’ and identifying potential areas for the future cooperation. Mr. Fantou outlined that as stipulated in the EUAM mandate the EUAM Outreach Team have already visited Odessa, Lviv, Dnipropetrovsk and Kyiv.

The Chairman of the Kharkiv Regional Council (KRC) Serhiy Chernov and the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the KRC on legal issues, regulatory policy, rule of law, public order, fight against corruption and crime, Oleksandr Bandurka have acquainted the EUAM with activities that are carried out in Kharkiv region in order to enhance security. “In 2014, the KRC has approved the Regional Programs on the territorial defense and the arrangement of the border with Russian Federation. These programs are primarily aimed on strengthening the security for civilians. They anticipate the selection of funds from the budget, as well as the complex of actions coordinating the work of governmental bodies and law enforcement agencies”, said Chernov.

He also admitted that the region is in a great need of support from the international community today. There are about 156 thousand internally displaced people (IDP) from Donbass registered in Kharkiv region. However, according to unofficial statistics, these figures are twice higher (about 300 thousand IDP) which is 10% of the area population.

The perspectives that are opening now for the local communities in the new decentralization scenario were also among the meeting topics, particularly regarding the competence and authority in different branches of power, including international practices, the reforms in police and training.

The EUAM Outreach Team also held a meeting with the Deputy Chairman of the Kharkiv Regional Administration (KRA) Vyacheslav Abbakumov. He has noted the fact that the region is located in the conflict zone, but despite that, the reforms of the law enforcement agencies, judiciary and Prosecutors Office must be held simultaneously throughout the country. “Disregarding the fact that 150 km from here, the military actions are taking place. This fact cannot serve as a justification for non-compliance to the tasks of reforming the countrys society and governmental institutions. However, there should be one primary goal. In my opinion it is the judicial reform” said Abbakumov.

All the participants of the meetings have agreed to establish a close cooperation on regular basis.