News

The participants of the working meeting of the experts, which took place on Friday, the 27th of August in the building of the department of inner policy and public relations of Kirovohrad regional state administration, know the answer to this question. The participants of the discussion about the format of Professional training program for activists of civic councils were prominent officials (Serhiy Karakulin) and civic figures (Lev Abramov, Alla Voloshyna, Inha Dudnik, Serhiy Podorozhniy, Viktoriya Talashkevych, Oleksiy Khmara and Alina Yaroslavska). The meeting was initiated by the Creative Union TORO (www.toro.org.ua) with the aim of developing general strategy of Program realization, which is aimed at increasing efficiency of Civic councils’ activity in 10 districts of Kirovohrad region.

10 years – is it a lot or not? For the history of the state – this is little, for the life of an insect – it’s very much! 10 steps – is it a lot or not? For a baby – it’s a lot, for a sportsman – it’s nothing!

In 2009 the Creative Union TOPD is going to be 10 years old. For a civic organization in Ukraine it’s a big term! This is the measure of high quality of work, unity and motivation of the team, trust from the community and partners. This year for TOPD is decisive. This is the beginning of implementing new ideas, mastering new areas of work, transfer to a very different level of work organization.

What can average Ukrainian students do during their summer holidays? Have a rest after the difficult examination period; work in vegetable gardens or dig potatoes; get tanned in the streets of the big cities or somewhere at the seaside – spend their time in an interesting way. It is unknown if the German students can do the same, but it’s an undisputable fact that they are very open to everything new and have extremely inquiring minds.  Activists of Creative Union “TORO” (Contact Group of Transparency International in Ukraine) were able to see it with their own eyes, having organized a study visit to Ukraine for a group of young researchers from Potsdam University, situated 30 km from Berlin, in the beginning of August.

On the 30^th of July, 2009 representatives of Management Systems International (anti-corruption project ‘Hidna Ukraine’) and Creative Center “TSK” came to Creative Union “TORO” with the planned audit.  Kiev guests were interested in TORO’s approach to realization of a number of initiatives...

In the end of May, 2009 Kirovohrad regional council adopted a decision on introducing changes to the Regional program of recreation of children, youth and families with children of Kirovohrad region for 2007-2013. This event, which seems common from the first sight, has a great significance for the community and monitoring environment of Ukraine, whereas with this decision the regional council for the first time admitted, that civic organizations of Kirovohrad region besides criticizing the authorities can also offer effective steps towards improving its work.

During two July weeks the School of Civic Control over the activity of local authorities was conducted in Lviv. 25 representatives of civic organizations, and initiative groups from all over Ukraine, which were selected based on the competition, took part in it. Among others, Natalia Krauze, head of Kirovohrad unit “Association of assistance in population self-organization” took part in the School.

While starting to realize civic monitoring of entrance campaign 2009 to higher educational establishments, for some reason agricultural educational institutions were categorically against conducting civic observation on the territory of ‘their’ higher educational establishments. These institutions have dual subordinance – to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and Ministry of agrarian policy. Despite a whole number of legal documents (among them orders of the Ministry of education and science), which state: “Civic observation during entrance campaign should take place!”, the first Pro-rector of Bilotserkivskiy national agrarian university made a categorical statement, “We don’t need any observers. They impede our work. Everything is ok with us!”...

Журнал «Профиль» (Украина) начал серию материалов «Герой нашего времени» о победителях Национальной  программы «Пространство перемен». Спецпроект описывает инициативы активных молодых людей, которые стремятся внести изменения в свою жизнь и жизнь людей, которые их окружают. Журналисты провели интервью и фотосессии с семи победителями программы «Пространство перемен». Материалы выходят в каждом номере журнала до 10 июля 2009 года.

Report of the Group of European Council States against Corruption as for Ukraine fulfilling anticorruption recommendations was published at the web page of the Ministry of Justice.

According to Minister of Justice, the aim of the Report is to evaluate measures, taken by the authorities of Ukraine in order to execute anticorruption recommendations, given by GRECO on the result of 2 rounds of evaluating Ukraine. Evaluation covered the period until 2006 and contained 25 recommendations and one notification, compulsory for Ukraine as a GRECO member.