|
May 10, the city of Nikolayev hosted a round table discussion: «The best anti-corruption practices in housing and utilities.
|
 Ру
|
 Ук
|
It was initiated by the Ukrainian Mission Transparency International, and supported the German Friedrich Naumann Foundation and the Mykolayiv City Development Foundation.
The roundtable was attended by experts from public organizations and bodies of self-organization of the population of Nikolaev (Mykolayiv City Development Foundation), Kiev (Committee of the neighborhood «Rusanivka»), Odessa (Public Institute for Social Technologies), Lugansk (regional public advocacy organization of women’s «The Seagull» ), Kirovograd (Creative association «maintenance» — the contact group Transparency International in Ukraine). In addition to experts, to discuss the connected and representatives of public organizations Theodosia (Environmental Organization «Mama-86»), the International Renaissance Foundation, the Analytical Center «Dixie Group, as well as more than a dozen leaders of the self-population of Nikolaev. Were not indifferent to the event and the Department of Housing Nikolayev City Council and the Office of Housing Mykolayiv Regional Administration.
According to the president of Creative association «maintenance» (contact group Transparency International in Ukraine), Alexei Khmara, our government is trying to prevent corruption in the sphere of housing and communal services, are constantly introducing newer and newer forms of control over housing and utilities. However, corruption in housing remain quite diverse. First of all — is the provision of services or the provision of inadequate quality; opaque fares and extortion separate fees for services already included in the cost of tariffs, and finally — the banal over-expenditure in the calculation of tariffs or the inclusion of their content undue administrative staff. Is it possible in such circumstances to hope for a fair price for the actual services provided by home heating or cleaning the entrance? Public experts from Nikolaev, Kiev, Lugansk, Odessa and Kirovograd say yes. And willing to share with everyone the best practices of corruption in the housing sector.
For example, in Odessa for over three years by the organization «Face to Face, in partnership with Odessa Public Institute for Social Technologies conducted public monitoring of the validity of the tariff setting for the cleaning of buildings and grounds. Community activists to monitor any attempt to over-estimates or attempts to conceal them entirely inappropriate payments. A body of self-organization in Kiev district population «Rusanivka» decided to ask, but where, in fact, the money goes each year are allocated to repair roofs and porches. To find out the real facts of budget spending on native neighborhood, community activists took over a year — three orders of the Cabinet and the two checks by the prosecution. By the way, Nikolaev in 2005 became the first city in Ukraine, where utility services to residents are provided on a competitive basis.
And this is just a few examples of active public participation in monitoring the housing sector. Participants of the event, discussed the problems in housing and utilities, are convinced that the public needs to initiate a round table discussion in the Verkhovna Rada Committee on State Building and Local Government to identify the problems of legislation that regulate the sphere of housing, and to prepare amendments to the laws.
Secondly, the public should encourage the authorities to disclose information on the official websites of the use of budget funds for housing and utilities, especially since 9 May 2011, the Law of Ukraine «On access to public information.» In turn, the public will continue to monitor such information.
Thirdly, another important task — to spread best practice anti-corruption, so that they could use in practice, the initiative groups of citizens, community organizations and ordinary citizens are conscious. For more information on best practices against corruption in housing and utilities, please visit www.toro.org.ua.
Press office of the Mykolayiv City Development Foundation
