Abstract
|
The purpose of this paper is to identify and explain the key driving forces for the public administration reform in Ukraine and explore impact of the reform on effectiveness of the state institutions.
Having based on accomplished research of the key factors, interests and processes at the four levels (global, regional, national and local), influencing restructurisation of the administrative part of the Ukraine’s public sector and public sector quality [1], this paper focuses on introduction of good governance concept and human rights standards into practice of the policy-making.
The research design is based on the public management reform model developed in Politt&Bouckaert (2004). At the center of this model lies the process of elite decision-making. While the elite may be influenced from elsewhere, the reform is top-down process.
Research design of this paper includes four main research objectives, namely:
1) To examine concept of the reform and proper strategies, have been implemented by the governments of Ukraine since 1991;
2) To study interference between institutional matrix and the efficiency of the reform; to compare/explain the variations in institutional patterns, demonstrated by the different segments of the Ukraine’s public sector;
I analyze the domestic impact of socio-economic and public policies since 1991 with substantial attention to comparative analysis of the specificity, efficiency and results of reforms in the different segments of the Ukraine’s public sector. The empirical task of my research is to explain variations in institutional changes, have been occurring in the public sector with particular focus on assessment of synergetic impact of rapid modernization paradigm, promoted by international organizations, e.g. the World Bank and the EU, strategies of other external forces and interests of local elites.
3) To assess key pressures and risk factors, associated with the state fragility and human insecurity in Ukraine and model the processes of their synergetic dynamic development;
In order to overcome system, producing human insecurity, all economic and political processes have to be subordinated to a common judicial order that would transform the parameters of power and politics. As Habermas puts it: “Things look different when human rights not only come into play as a moral orientation for one’s own political activity, but as rights which have to be implemented in a legal sense”[2]
4) To analyze the current strategy of the public administration reform in Ukraine, including adopted laws directed on the establishment of good governance and human rights, increased transparency, openness and accountability and adequate mechanisms of control for all elements of the public sector.
The package of reforms, which I systematize and evaluate for this research, is as follows:
Public administration reform (1997-1999, 2001-2002, 2005, 2008);
Constitutional reform (2004-2006, 2008);
Administrative-territorial reform (2005);
Reform of local governance (2005, 2006);
Public service reform (2004, 2005, 2006, 2008).
In order to assess the impact of reforms I use indexes of the World Bank, the Transparency International, the Human Rights Watch and other international organizations as well as statistics and opinion polls.
Effective public governance, which is based on transparent and competent public policy, should be the core of democratization in Ukraine. The transparent political processes, rule of law and public participation in policy-making are the preconditions for human security development.
[1]This paper is result and continuation of my research of the public management reform and public sector quality under NISPAcee research framework (WG2 Public Sector Quality 2005-2007).
[2] Jürgen Habermas, Bestialität und Humanität, published in Die Zeit, 54, 18, 29 April 1999; pages 1-8
|
