An average deputy of City or Raion Council in Luhansk oblast – is a 55 year old man who has received higher education, is involved in business or entrepreneurial activities and supports the Party of Regions.
Such data follow from the research, conducted by the Civil Network OPORA, which covered information about education, working experience, and political tastes of deputies of City and Raion Councils in Luhansk oblast.
Deputies of local councils perform fundamental functions of self-governance: ownership, use and management of communal property; ensuring comprehensive development of the territory; providing social services to the public; ensuring the rule of law, public safety, public order, protection of rights, freedoms and legal interests of citizens; social protection, assistance in employment of citizens, etc. That is everything an average citizen faces every day.
So who are they – people, which were given powers to manage local communities by residents of Luhansk oblast?
Information about deputies of 37 raion and 35 city councils in Luhansk oblast was analyzed in the research.
Thus, total number of considered deputies is 1615. Divided by the gender, 1141 (70%) deputies are men, and 474 (30%) are women. Although the superiority of men is obvious, still it's not as dominant as in the Verkhovna Rada, where women consist only 9.7%. This fact may be explained by the fact that local self-government bodies have less influence on economic life. In general, property and financial resources are traditionally concentrated in men's hands, and, as long as the Verkhovna Rada is quintessence of economic influence, it's much harder for women to get into big politics.
By the age, deputies in the region have already got the certain life experience. Thus, only 0.5% of deputies are under the age of 25, from 26 to 35 years – 2.5%, from 35 to 45 years – 12%, from 45 to 55 years – 36%, from 55 to 65 years – 29%, older than 65 years – 20%.
1424 (88%) of them have received higher education, 153 – secondary, 35 – special secondary, and 3 – higher unfinished.
1240 (76%) of them are representatives of the Party of Regions, 207 (13%) – of the CPU, 64 (3%) – Strong Ukraine, 15 – AUU Batkivshchyna, 7– Front for Change, 3 – United Centre, 3 – New Politics party, 8 – People's Party, 1 – Party of Greens of Ukraine, 1 – Party of Pensioners of Ukraine, 10 – Party of self-governance, 10 – Party of Manufacturers and Entrepreneurs of Ukraine, 9 – Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine (PSPU), 1 – SDPU, 2 – SDPU (u), 2 – Union of Left Forces, 3 – Spravedlyvist (Justice) Party, Socialist Party of Ukraine (SPU) – 4, Ukrainian Social Democratic Party (USDP) – 2, self-nominated – 23.
At the same time, only 81 persons don't belong to any faction. The dominance of one political force in the whole region is obvious, which representatives may take decisions in any local council (perhaps, besides Stakhaniv) by simple or qualified majority. 100% Heads of Raion Councils are members of the same political party – the Party of Regions.
The social status of local deputies gives us an understanding of who they are – those representing the interests of community. Employment: 85 private entrepreneurs, 323 managers of private enterprises, and 25 unemployed for different reasons. Employees of the Apparatus of Local Councils – 180, District State Administrations – 60, employees of communal enterprises – 60, law enforcement and regulatory authorities – 16, lawyers and notaries – 8, employees of health care institutions – 76, employees of educational establishments – 127, pensioners – 70. The other 585 persons – are employees of different enterprises, which hold positions from engineers to stope miners and drivers.
The analysis of deputies in local councils of Luhansk oblast revealed almost 40 instances when husbands and wives, parents and children, own brothers and sisters, and other close relatives are simultaneously elected in the same councils.
Thus, 433 persons may be considered as economically interested, i.e. those who will defend their business interests first of all. Employees in the communal and public sector constitute the largest group – 597 people. At the same time, it's the most organized community, which has administrative influence and direct activities of representative body from drafting and development of decisions to their lobbying and adoption on sessions. At the same time, the second big group, let’s call them "employees", which are materially dependent on their officials or are under their authority, are in fact "weathercocks" and vote according to the instruction from above. Often the very closeness to such leaders allows some people get into local councils.
The analysis of deputies in local councils of Luhansk oblast revealed almost 40 instances when husbands and wives, parents and children, own brothers and sisters, and other close relatives are simultaneously elected in the same councils. Such situation is worsening the conflict of personal and citizen interests.
The most popular examples – father and son Burbelos (Serhii Lazarovych in Perevalsk Raion Council, and Serhii Lazarovych in in Perevalsk City Council), Maryna Bukaieva (a widow of a famous MP) and her daughter Yevheniia in Krasnodon, brothers-communists Mykola and Volodymyr Yunyk from Starobilshchyna etc.
To sum up, the overall picture is not satisfying – local self-government bodies are in fact monopolized by a political force, which representatives hold high positions in local government bodies, and, moreover, are close family members. It may result in corruption, economic and social stagnation, and hindering reforms in all spheres of social life.