Lviv Civic Society has its own voice on the Internet

A new resource has been created on the Lviv Internet – the Lviv Civic Portal.  The resource will serve a vital role in systematizing civic initiatives on one site and creating the opportunity for developing and improving cooperation between the local authorities and the community.

The portal will be placed on three sites www.rada.lviv.ua, www.gromada.lviv.ua, www.hromada.lviv.ua.  Its creators aim to provide all possible support for covering initiatives from the public sector and individual civic leaders.

The project’s initiatives believe that one of the cornerstones of civic society is public participation in drawing up and taking decisions. Democracy is effective when citizens have the chance to influence the design and implementation of policy, debate and decision making.

They are convinced that there is a real need for effective mechanisms for constructive communication and interaction between members of the territorial community and their representatives. Such interaction makes citizens more informed and enables them to regularly assess the work of the authorities.

Active participation of the public in the formation of local policy serves to ensure greater transparency, openness and accountability of the local authorities.

It is planned that the portal will help to increase public involvement in the following: drawing up draft decisions; public debate of decisions; creating the conditions and effective mechanisms for real public control over the activities of the local authorities, responsibility and accountability of each territory body  of local self-government. 

The Lviv Civic Portal will hold information of public significance for members of the public in the area, will provide a place for discussion of decisions of the Lviv City Council and its bodies.  It will also post decisions passed, the results of public hearings and local initiatives, the results of independent public “auditing” and monitoring of the efficiency of the activities of the body of local self-government, of city council deputies, commissions, factions and of the Mayor. It should promote a real increase in the level of transparency and openness of bodies of local self-government in Lviv.