Municipal reform of 2015 in Ukraine: Implementation and first results[Муниципальная Реформа 2015 Года В Украине: Реализация И Первые Итоги]

Local self-government is a structuring element of the institutional environment; thus, its functioning determines the development of territories. The trend of municipal re- forming appeared in the countries of Western Europe as early as the mid-1970s due to the general federalization and the empowerment of local authorities. Later similar re- forms began in the post-Soviet countries. In 2015, Ukraine adopted the Conception of reforming local self-government and territorial organization of power. According to this Conception, the hierarchy of state power was to be optimized and a new administrative-territorial structure reflecting the contemporary system of social and economic rela- tions in the regions of Ukraine was to be formed. The article considers the evolution of the administrative-territorial and municipal structure of the Ukrainian regions, analyzes the international experience of the reform, and identifies the essence of the municipal reform of 2015 highlighting its strengths and weaknesses.