Oleh Soskin Portal
permanent reference:
IST	07 May 2009
Ukrainian mayors learned an Austrian experience of local self-government
From April 27 to May 1, 2009 took place study visit of Ukrainian mayors to Austria (Vorarlberg). The visit took place in the frameworks of the project “The Austrian model of local self-government and possibilities of its fourthputting in Ukraine” that is realized by Institute of Society Transformation in common with Austrian union of cities under support the Embassy of Austria in Ukraine. The general goal of the project is to make the knowledge of the Ukrainian city heads more profound in their colleague’s activities in West Europe and ways of increasing of civil society active. Members of Ukrainian delegation: Bogdan Andriy, mayor of Gorodnya; Dydko Leonid, mayor of Dubno; Dymin Yaroslav, mayor of Rakhiv; Korpan Oleksiy, mayor of Zolotonosha; Kosharuk Sergiy, mayor of Kovel; Mihalyuk Anatoliy, mayor of Baranivka; Nemyrovskiy Yakiv, mayor of Novomurgorod; Savolyuk Mihaylo, mayor of Mogyliv-Podilskiy; Safontseva Olena, mayor of Novgorod-Siverskiy; Sydor Vasil, mayor of Slavuta; Matviychuk Nadiya, manager of the international projects of Institute of Society Transformation. Head of the delegation - Oleh Soskin, director of Institute of Society Transformation, head of the project. During the visit Ukrainian mayors learned an Austrian experience in such branches of city development as: • forming a plan of a strategic development of the city; • a system of delegation of plenary powers; • an authority and business collaboration in a local level; • forming the investment-innovation model of territory developing, creating of innovation-technological parks, business-incubators; • development of tourist branch etc. The visit of Ukrainian mayors to Austria: first day April 27, 2009 is the first day of study visit of Ukrainian to Austria. Staying in the Feldkirch town (the population – 30 thousands people), that is situated on the Rain valley, Vorarlberg land. We have to say that 80% of the federal Vorarlberg land – the region that is border with Switzerland, Germany and Lihtenshtein is occupied by Austrian Alps that is why 80% of population is concentrated in the rest 20% of territory in the valleys of the Rain river and Ill river. Life level in Vorarlberg is one of the highest ones in Austria for today. Besides, there are two the most prestige mountain-skiers resorts in the country – in the Montophone and the Arlberg regions, where the richest people in the world spend their time. Sir Hans Kohler - ex-mayor of the Runkweil city, the deputy of the Vorarlberg land parliament, the Austrian city association worker accompanied the delegation all the time. Nowadays he is responsible for know-how transfer and international collaboration in the Austrian cities association. He visited Ukraine several times. For the first time – in the 1992, last time – in the 2006 after the Orange revolution already and put up and helps to support close relations with Gomel region in Belorussia. Sir Koller collaborates closely with the Austrian embassy in Ukraine, he thanked to the Austrian ambassador for the opportunity in realizing of common project about setting up the collaboration between Austrian and Ukrainian cities with the Institute of Society Transformation. Ukrainian delegation visited the unique object on Monday that is situated among the Alpine tops – the biggest cascade of 10 hydroelectric stations in a region, one of which was built recently is Kopsverke-2 and was located in a rock directly. This cascade is named as Illverke and included to the same named municipal concern. 100% of the „Ilverke” concern property (it is 25 hydroelectric power stations and all lines of electric connection in a region) belong to the Vorarlberg federal land community. We have to mention that water-power provides 70% of energy needs in a region, 17% is a biogas and other 13% – is imported. The power system in Austria is built according to a principle: “Energy that is not use need not be payed for it”. We have to mention also that even in all Austria regions all electric connection lines are in a federal lands community property. The exception is Karintia land where 25% of such networks owns the French power concern and only 75% is a community property. The electric power price for population can vary in different lands, but users have an opportunity to choose every European supplier. It is interesting that in Vorarlberg lands and neighboring Tyrol this tariff is the lowest in all country. It was promised not to increase tariffs in 2009. Nowadays the last price for population is 20-23 (it is near 2,5 UAH) eurocents for 1 kilowatt-hour (including delivery and service). There is no Atomic Electro Stations in Austria. The question about AES building was viewed on a referendum in 1976 and Austrians voted against such initiative. Instead water and wind energy is used widely in Austria as well as in Germany, it is ecologically the safest and restoration energy sources. Ukrainian city chairmen met with “Ilverke” concern main engineer, hydroelectric power stations workers, visited two informative centers, Kopsverke-2 the hydroelectric power station, watched the film about the building (that went on less than 4 years), rose by the rope road on a 1750 meters height, and saw one of the biggest dikes of the cascade near the Austrian-Swiss border. Snow still lies and winter wind blows, and in Rain valley, below, magnolias and chestnut blossom. The visit of Ukrainian mayors to Austria: second day On Tuesday, the 28 of April the delegation visited one of the biggest municipalities of Vorarlberg land, Dornbirn city (there live near 40 thousands of people). Meetings were in a city town hall session room Dornbirn. The delegation visited the best kindergarten in Dornbirn and listened to department heads of education, family and youth affairs reports after a festive lunch. Today, city heads could: - learn the local system of self-government and state administrating of Austria in details, - know the associations activities on different levels from region to European, - learn the system of local finances in Austria, - familiarize with the city branding system and tools of marketing activity, - view the structure and peculiarity of school education in Austria, - know the medium professional education possibilities for youth, - view the integration plans into emigrants associations, - familiarize with six forms of preschool and after school children education, - know the supporting programs of families in cities. Reports were listened and were discussed the professional questions with seven high-professional experts - workers of the local self-government, one of which is burgomaster for all day. Besides that, the official supper took place in the Feldkirch city castle with leadership of Austria cities association, ways, forms and measures of future collaboration were discussed. Let`s make a short review of information about the self-government and the finances in Austria. Local self-government Austria is a federal state that is headed by the president. There are two levels of local self-government: land level (the analogy of regions) and local communities’ level. There is no rules discrimination of communities which depends on quantity of inhabitants. All municipalities are equal and there are no divide administrative-territorial ones into villages, city type colonies and cities although such names are present in colloquial speech. We have to observe that Vienna and a few other biggest cities in Austria have special status as Kyiv and Sevastopol in Ukraine, but it is an exception. The state is represented by land administrations and region administrations that have only executive functions, look after state and land legislation holding and don’t interfere into self-government business. Every community is not only territorial and economic one. It can do its own economic activity – create enterprises, buy and sell lands and property, invest into attractive commercial projects in Austria and abroad, have own count in any commercial bank. Community heads are elected by direct secret elections as structure of municipality of the community. After that city executive committee is formed with deputies. City chairman forms his own administration for current work and is a member of the city executive committee. Community counsel cannot dismiss the city mayor with direct voting. Citizens` unions can take part in elections as well as political parties. Elections take place in a proportional model in the whole. Austria supports the EU conception in saving country place and doesn’t like communities enlarging and urbanization. Local finance There are state, region and local duties in Austria. Most of them get into state treasury and then distribute and come back to the region and local level in definite correlation. The country don`t accept the budget every year. Nowadays there is a law “About profit distribution of state budget from 2008 to 2013 years” in Austria that works successfully. Austrians explained that such actions help them to do medium planning of economic activity in all levels. The country reformed duty rates by decreasing duty rate on physical persons` profit in 2009. The government will get 3 milliard euros less from duty entrance. It was done for people supporting in a economic recession in the EU period. There are no State in Austria state treasuries. Finance activity principles of communities: - economy, - profitability, - expenditures of wastes. The city as brand Herbert Kaufman, the head of municipal enterprise on Dornbirn city marketing, „Shtadtmarketing Dornbirn” told us about city marketing and branding. Working plan has to be agreed with a head of the public relations department. The city motto as general conception of its position is: „Dornbirn is a city with developed economy and high life quality”. They see the city as economic but not as tourist center of land therefore its position differs from many other countries. Directions of the “Shtadtmarketing Dornbirn” activities: - to provide the solvency of the city by giving motivations for development of separate enterprises. - not to help in composing contracts but to create good conditions for developing a collaboration in the city. Four strategic goals of the city marketing agency activity: 1. To look for partners in the city of the top level management. 2. Constant presence in local media for creating positive perception of the city among its citizens. 3. Self activity finance of the agency (elaboration of investment projects, forming the advertising areas etc.) 4. Using new technologies (direct marketing, Internet-marketing) for city promotion. The best partners of “Shtadtmarketing Dornbirn”: - The association of Dornbirn tourism development - The foundation in holding of city exhibitions and fairs - “Mesepark” – shopping mall - Public relations city department - The association of businessmen of Dornbirn “Insite” - City museums and galleries - Other experienced partners and experts. Marketing agency ordered an elaboration of Dornbirn individual style, that includes personal documents forming, gift production and other visual materials where municipality is presented and the design of two city web-pages and its programming. We have to mention that such one time complex of services took near 20 000 euros. So Dornbirn has two official web-pages for today: one includes official information about the local authority activities, decisions, resolutions, services by Internet, and the other includes information about life of the association and information for tourists. European self-government Ervin Moor greeted participants of the visit (the vice-president of the community association in Vorarlberg land, burgomaster of the Volfund city). He mentioned that they are first Ukrainian city heads official delegation in Austria. Sir Moor thanked the professor Oleh Soskin – the director of the unique establishment – Institute of Society Transformation (there are no analogous in Austria) and sir Hans Koller – the unique personality. He agreed with Oleh Soskin words that the most progressive mayors arrived to Austria which are ready for new experience perception. Sir Moor mentioned as representative of cities association and communities of Austria that it consists of even all representatives of communities – 2250. Representatives of all big territory communities in Austria are delegated to the EU region committee. Region committee is a unique organ of collaborating that can access common decisions for all EU cities and defend their interests. Sir Moor said that money go down from above more difficult than go up from below, and it is harder for small communities to get an access to open funds beside big ones therefore communities can unite on all levels for common interests and rules. Austrian cities guarantee their rules on all levels. Sir Moor told that there are opportunities on the EU level for collaborating with East Europe countries and the EU communities encourage collaborating with its east neighbors including Ukraine. School education system and immigrant adaptation programs Doctor Roland Undergussen told about the Austrian school education system, which basis was put by Mary Terezia the empress in 1774. All schools are mixed in the country since 1975. We have to mention that education in state medium schools and universities is free, although different private establishments develop and work too. There is an interesting peculiarity in education school system – an absence of state sports, music, artistic schools. Local associations of citizens execute its functions in municipals so called sports, music and artistic unions that have high level of äîòàö³é from city budget and region budget to provide material and technical base but specialists teach there on social sources usually. Other sources of financing are parents` contributions and sponsorship. There is also a developed system of youth organizations in the country. Nowadays there are 23 schools with different levels in Dornbirn and 4000 schoolchildren study. A year subscription on traveling by buses in Vorarlberg land costs for a pupil 17-19 euros. We have to mention that primary school teacher`s (1-4 form) hard salary is 1400 euros. Such salary is considered as insufficient for independent family maintenance in Dornbirn. The new program of school development was accepted on a state level for 2009-2031 years. To support good material and technical base of Dornbirn schools it is necessary to give not less than 5 million euros annually. English is the leading language for study in Dornbirn medium schools, other languages that are also popular are French and Spanish. Pupils study English and Latin obligatory at humanitarian high schools. Structure changes in society (increasing number of immigrants): - increasing number of children for which German is not native (nowadays there are 30% of such children in Dornbirn). - decreasing number of pupils for last 10 years for 10% (the forecast says that it will be reduction till 2007-2030 years for 17%). - mass loss of orients and values system in families (mass-media negative influence, high level of divorces – 40% - in town, but in general 75% of children in Austria are educated in full families, increasing number of children who stay for the second year). Doctor Undergassen touched the problem of immigrants and their integration into the community. Vorarlberg land is on the second place after Vienna in immigrants number (13% of population). There are 90 nationalities in Dornbirn. 10% - Turks, 7% - immigrants from former cities of Yugoslavia. Even in 2003 Dornbirn worked up the scheme of integration the emigrants` children into the community first. Its principles are: - the integration into society – it is all levels` of management task, not only one department. - The immigrant take away nothing,conversely, maybe he must bring positive to community and state life. - We require the result from immigrants, not only help them to integrate and to learn the language. General stress make on women education with their children. Such integration course costs 2500 euros and lasts for 2 years. If the woman visited 300 course hours, the state backs her for 50% of cost. Passing the integration course is certainly for that ones who want to get an Austrian citizenship. Nowadays for 50% of immigrants have an Austrian citizenship in Dornbirn, other part have not such goal. Care about the children and family collaboration The next reporter was Michael Valter and he said that there are 6 forms of care about the children from 0 to 14 years old in Austria. And traditional Ukrainian kindergarten is only one of them. Most of mayors work in a short working day in Dornbirn because they have children that are younger than six years old. Besides that, mother gets state help which expressed in 436 euros a month during two years after birth. Dornbirn city worked up “the family relation program”. Its principles are: - friendly infrastructure for a family, - good conditions in a family, - high level of the enthusiasm among inhabitants. In program scopes of measures were created: - municipal center of services for a family (advices about children education, help in organization of care about the children, strategic family planning); - working city group about family questions (gathers every week); - consulting platform about the family with engaging experts; - playing yards concept (worked up standards and equipment, that are check up every week); - consultation with families about their emotional perception of different architectural forms of family using (are they causing an aggression or suppression?); - start packet for baby care after birth; - a letter to parents of the two years child (help and care information); - present certificate for first form schoolchild; - family passport (discount card for the family with a little baby); - mother and baby center (for young mothers intercourse); - the interrogation of 9 years old children – what are they like in their town and what they want to improve; - „The meeting place – kindergarten” (common groups for parents and children in preschool establishments); - „Family summer in Dornbirn” (measures of family rest in the city, besides, excursions, indoor or outdoor playing yards for holidays time). The visit of Ukrainian mayors to Austria: third and fourth days On Wednesday 29 of April in 2009 the Ukrainian delegation visited Rankweil city (there live 12 thousands people). Sir Martin Summer (the actual Rankweil mayor) greeted participants and wished them prolific work and mentioned that Rankweil that was the city of orchards nowadays became also more serious industrial center that increased life level of its community. Martin Summer the burgomaster occupies beekeeping as Mogyliv-Podilsky city head Michael Savolyuk. There are 19 beekeepers and 150 beehives in Rankweil. City chairmen familiarized with suburban transport in Rankweil, settling system and land using in a community level, methods of social dwelling building with energy-saving technologies and visited social room and went on a long-distance bus. Ukrainians visited the Virgin Maria church as cultural program that is like a medieval castle on the top of a mountain, where are the St. Benedict relics saved. Austrian cities association tasks Mr. Alexander Lesigang – one of the organizers and the assistant of international relations head of Austria cities association - spoke in public of participants. He told that there are 2 associations which operate for subjects of the local self-government. There are 238 bigger cities and 13 big Austrian cities that are participants of the Austrian cities association, including Vienna. It makes 55% of Austrian population. There are 1400 community participants of the territory communities Association instead that is 75% of Austrian population but there are no big cities in its structure. All big cities in Vorarlberg land have double membership such as Bregenz, Feldkirch, Dornbirn. Both associations represent Austria in the EU. There is an interesting annual cities congress of the Austrian cities association among the collaboration types, where take place an exchanging of the experience between different lands communities, a representation of new projects, áóðãîì³ñòðè of bigger cities represent smaller surrounding communities, making more profound the cooperation and mutual understanding in such way. Sir Lezing named also representation of cities interests in an international level among important tasks, lobbying a bill initiations of communities at national level. City and long-distance transport municipalities Joseph Matis, mayor of Zwischenwasser cityr and the Association of communities (of public passenger transport questions) chairman works as a burgomaster for 29 years. He was interested in quality transport connection between different Vorarlberg communities especially this is why he decided to realize the project in this sphere. Mr. Matis mentioned that it is easier to induce municipalities to collaboration when the distance between them is smaller, than in Ukrainian regions – scale effect operates. He mentioned that Vorarlberg land has the highest level of decentralization among all Austrian ones and this is not only a lot of rights but also more work. Mr. Matis told that private ferrymen which serve different routes change every day to smooth their monthly profits from transportations. Buses working timetable and routes working up do the community association in public transport questions. Although the railway transport is regulated at the state level in Austria Vorarlberg land soviet got an exclusive right to regulate railway transportations independently on the land territory and bordering territories like Switzerland, Germany and Liechtenstein. Annual sum of ticket for all the land territory on a bus or railway is 574 euros. Settling and land using of communities Doctor Vilfrid Berch – the leader of the planning of settling system service and land using of self-government in Vorarlberg land told us that for the starting of new building, gift act, land selling or partition in Austria you need a permission of the local territory community. If you are foreigner and have no the EU citizenship it will be very difficult to buy any land for building. Lands which belong to some community or region are not sell usually but only may lease. Different communities order the common geoinformation work to make common decisions in accommodation of big enterprises and to avoid interest conflicts. Aspects that are considered in region territory planning: buildings accommodation, industry zones, transport infrastructure, recreation areas about new objects. At last doctor Berch said that Rain valley positions itself as a region that is always learn new information. Social dwelling Doctor Hans-Peter Lorens, who regulates noncommercial business of the communal enterprise in Vorarlberg land “Vogevosi” told about building of social dwelling in a region on energy-saving technologies. Such building is correlated with an important life principle: “Get so much property as possible and lease so much how it is necessary”. There are 196 companies in Austria which work in building a social dwelling. „Vogevosi” is the biggest among fourth ones that work on Vorarlberg land. Activity spheres of “Vogevosi”: - New homes building. - Supporting the exploitation of dwellings that are leased - The reconstruction of houses built earlier (usually in 1970-s years) with considering opportunities of energy economy. Sources of new projects financing: - interest – free loans at regional level (for 60 years). - property asset (profit from an activity that is reinvests). - payment of future lessees of dwellings. - Commercial banks credits. “Vogevosi” (as communal enterprise) have to build habitation in that places where the community say because in other way it can loose its license. Enterprise finance is tied to its aims. It follows by the covering of charges principle: the lease of dwelling cannot be less than a prime price but also cannot be higher. “Vogevosi” company has only one advantage near the private person buildings that plan to lease dwelling out: from the beginning it is free from tax on company profit (it is 25%). Company profit norms are: to 3,25% in property management sphere and to 12% in dwelling building sphere. Own stock accumulation allows to avoid bank credits and to decrease region interest-free loans volumes. The community distributes the dwellings among the scanty means. If somebody already has a property such person cannot apply on a social dwelling. Such apartments are not for sale and can be leased only according to an agreement for 3-10 years. „Vogevosi” confesses a principle of high quality and low charges in its activity. The company builds objects with energy – saving technologies since 2007 year. A house wastes no more than 15 kilowatt – hour of energy a year for 1 meter square as a result. 30 of April 2009 Ukrainian city chairmen visited one of two the most prestige Alpine mountain-skiers resorts in Austria – Lech city (there are 1500 people live here, it has 90 meters2 area). The city is situated in mountains on 2000 meters height above the sea. Although winter ski season finished in the first half of April but mountain-skiers routes were still covered with a fresh spring Alpine layer of snow. The city was calm and friendly and resting from tourists rush till middle June – the official summer tourist season beginning. The obligatory tasks of the day were familiarizing with factory in processing of biomass, learning economical diversification region themes and increasing of city attraction for tourists. Lech: small community as big tourist center. Mr. Ludwig Muxel the Lech`s burgomaster accompanied guests from Ukraine personally. He told that Lech is visited by 1 million and 100 thousands of tourists a year and 1 million of people visit Lech without overnight stop. The quantity of overnight stops are 8 million. There are 70 000 bed places in the town: 40 000 – in hotels and 30 000 – flats or rooms in private sector. 80% tourists visit Lech in Winter because the town plans to vary its tourist offers and to build an aquapark to attract the majority of people in warm season. Most hotels have 5 and 4 stars, 3 stars and lower are less than 20%. We have to mention that the majority of Lech`s tourists talk German. 60% are Germans, 20% - Austrians, 15% - Swiss, 2% - Russians. Mr. Burgomaster stressed on ecology in tourism – the integral component of its success. The community observes high standards of air and water cleanliness. Alternative forms of heat supplying Mr. Burgomaster (on public beginnings also) is responsible for 3 heating factories activity that work on biomass base in the city. He showed these objects personally to Ukrainian city chairmen and told about its work principles. “Biomass – the near heat supplying” enterprise works since 1999. During its creation oil prices were considerably lower than now – 12$ for a barrel. As known a gas price in the world is in direct dependence on oil price. It turns out thus that the alternative heat supplying is more advantageous for Lech than it was predicted. 15 km of preliminary isolated pipelines of hot water with signaling were laid in scopes of the project. Loses of heat are only 3-4% (for comparison – heat loses in Ukraine are 30% ). The factory is estimated on 2 caldrons, one of which works on a graft (10 megawatt a year) and the other one works on fuel oil (18-19 megawatt a year). The factory has its own underground warehouse for biomass (graft) with 5 000 meters square. The “Ilverke”concern of hydroelectric power stations and Lech city community carried out the project. The investment to the factory building was 12 million euros (1/3 means from the community, government and future users). Two factories allow to save over 6 millions liters of fuel oil annually for Lech city. Nowadays 223 buildings in a town (private sector as well as hotels) get factory heating and in 1999 the quantity of buildings were 70 ones. The 1 kW energy price for users is 68 eurocents (it is near 7 UAH). Factories that are on biomass do not make electric power only thermal in Lech. But it is known that thermal energy can be transformed easily into electric with low losses if it is necessary. We have to mention that some Ukrainian cities begin to inculcate the biomass heating. In particular two boiler rooms on a biomaterial work in Dybno city and 4 in Kovel city already. Motivating of the region`s tourist attraction. Mr. Garald Moosbrugger – the leader of the economy department of the Vorarlberg federal land told about tourist land structures and its stimulating program. Development of the land conception provides tourism supporting in mountains and Rein valley industry development. Tourism made 14% of GDP in Vorarlberg land. 80% of tourists who speak German spend their time in Vorarlberg and 56% of which are Germans. At the same time the region tries to diversify the national structure of tourists to decrease the dependence on German neighbors. And at the same time the amount of suggestions of summer and winter rest increase to satisfy tourists` demands. Land does region marketing of Vorarlberg region as one whole, and exactly it, not separate communities is general tourist brand at the international level. It is interesting that according to agreements it includes also communities from other regions. On the whole 6 mountain-skiers districts in Austria are understood as “Vorarlberg” brand. As Mr. Moosbrugger said the practice proved disadvantages of international single branding. Real increasing of tourist attraction to a different cities can be attained through the common activity in this sphere. Communities activity are coordinated by Vorarlberg Tourist association. Moreover, the finance investment into the tourism in present economic conditions gives the greater increase of work places and long-term stability unlike industry, that transfers its factories into regions with cheap man power and resources easily. Tourism is the strategic economy branch in Vorarlberg – Mr. Moosbrugger said, therefore the increased assistance of tourist development program operates at the region level during last few years and it is directed on the improvement of the infrastructure, hotels building encouragement, opening of new private shops and cafes. Educational visit results During the final festive supper with Ukrainian delegation participation, Mr. Hans Kohler and Mr. Alexander Lesigang – Austria cities association representatives, the visit results were lined up and every participant expressed own opinion about future realizing of this common project, everybody thanked to the professor Oleh Soskin – director of the Institute of Society Transformation, the ideological inspirer and organizer of this project from Ukrainian side, to the Austrian ambassador in Ukraine, under the direct patronage of whom was realized the visit, and to Austrian cities and communities association that made possible a realization of educational visit to Austria for Ukrainian city heads. Participants of the project marked concrete directions and spheres of its practical continuing in local self-government structures bettering in Ukraine and in leading it to European standards, and so in the communal economy sphere – building an energy-saving dwelling, using an alternative sun energy sources and biomass, communal buses and in tourist sphere and preschool children caring, inculcating new types of establishments for Ukraine. It is planned to work up the pilot projects for Ukrainian cities pools in interesting ways for them with the Association and Austrian experts` pool in local self-government questions participation. Organizers underlined the importance of not only external city marketing and its presence in media but the internal marketing among the territory community inhabitants, need of taking part in everyday city life activation. In general all the participants of the visit attracted their attention to a high level of the Austrian burgomasters authority (and the Ukrainian mayors associated with 6 of them) efficacy and exactness of their work and considerable extent of communities consolidations and collaboration between them. An Austrian cities use their autonomy for joint development and uninterrupted improvement of their citizens life level. Press-service of the Institute of Society Transformation
© Institute of Society Transformation 1998-2012 Republication, redistribution and quoting of materials is permitted only with due indication of www.soskin.info