Guarantees of accountability and responsibility of local self-government bodies in the context of ensuring transparency of public authority

Abstract

The article examines the administrative and legal guarantees of accountability and responsibility of local self-government bodies as important components of ensuring the transparency of public authority in the context of the development of democratic governance and the implementation of decentralization reform in Ukraine. The purpose of the study is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the mechanisms of accountability of local self-government bodies to territorial communities, the state and civil society institutions, as well as to identify the main problems of legal regulation in the field of ensuring openness in the activities of local authorities. Particular attention is paid to the study of legal guarantees of transparency in the activities of local self-government bodies, mechanisms of public control, e-governance and responsibility of local self-government officials in the process of exercising public powers.

The methodological basis of the research consists of general scientific and special legal methods of cognition, including systemic-structural, formal-legal, comparative-legal and analytical methods. In the course of the research, the provisions of the Constitution of Ukraine, the Laws of Ukraine “On Local Self-Government in Ukraine”, “On Access to Public Information”, “On Prevention of Corruption”, as well as other нормативно-правові acts regulating the activities of local self-government bodies were analyzed. Particular attention is also paid to the practical aspects of implementing the principles of openness and accountability in the activities of local self-government bodies under martial law and in the conditions of digitalization of public administration.

As a result of the conducted research, it was established that the effectiveness of implementing the principle of accountability of local self-government bodies largely depends on the level of openness of public authority, accessibility of information regarding the activities of local self-government bodies, and the real participation of citizens in managerial decision-making processes. It was determined that the current state of administrative and legal regulation is characterized by a number of problems, including insufficient effectiveness of public control mechanisms, the formal nature of certain reporting procedures, an insufficient level of digitalization of administrative processes, and limited effectiveness of legal liability mechanisms for local self-government officials. It is substantiated that the insufficient transparency of local self-government bodies negatively affects the level of public trust in public authorities and complicates the implementation of the principles of democratic governance.

The article also examines international experience in ensuring transparency and accountability of local authorities, in particular the practice of European Union member states regarding the use of e-governance mechanisms, open data, digital public participation platforms and anti-corruption control instruments. It has been established that an effective system of accountability of local self-government bodies should be based on the principles of legality, openness, accessibility of public information, digitalization of management processes and partnership between authorities and civil society.

The conclusions substantiate the necessity of improving administrative and legal mechanisms for ensuring accountability and responsibility of local self-government bodies through the development of electronic services for interaction between communities and authorities, strengthening control over the use of budgetary resources, improving public reporting procedures and introducing modern digital monitoring tools for the activities of local self-government bodies. It is proved that a proper level of accountability and responsibility of local self-government bodies is an important prerequisite for ensuring transparency of public authority, strengthening democratic institutions and forming a high level of citizens’ trust in local self-government bodies.