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| At Center of Ukraine Talks, Degrees of Decentralizing | At Center of Ukraine Talks, Degrees of Decentralizing |
| (4 months later) | |
| KIEV, Ukraine — National “round-table” talks seeking to resolve Ukraine’s six-month political crisis by finding a formula for decentralizing power will begin Wednesday against a seemingly formidable array of obstacles. | |
| First is the matter of who will talk to whom. Ukrainian government officials have said they will speak with their antagonists in the east, but not those with “blood on their hands.” That would appear to rule out most of the leaders of the pro-Russian uprising in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions who are backed by armed militants, which could hurt the credibility of the talks. | First is the matter of who will talk to whom. Ukrainian government officials have said they will speak with their antagonists in the east, but not those with “blood on their hands.” That would appear to rule out most of the leaders of the pro-Russian uprising in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions who are backed by armed militants, which could hurt the credibility of the talks. |
| The heart of the debate will deal with the question of how to reshape the government and bestow more power on officials outside Kiev, a charming, cosmopolitan capital with a reputation since the Soviet collapse a generation ago of being a cesspool of corruption and mismanagement. | The heart of the debate will deal with the question of how to reshape the government and bestow more power on officials outside Kiev, a charming, cosmopolitan capital with a reputation since the Soviet collapse a generation ago of being a cesspool of corruption and mismanagement. |
| A large gulf remains between the views of the interim government and the eastern separatists, but officials say a compromise on a new system of governance is inevitable. “There is no other way out,” said Volodymyr Groysman, the acting minister for regional development, who is leading the decentralization initiative. | A large gulf remains between the views of the interim government and the eastern separatists, but officials say a compromise on a new system of governance is inevitable. “There is no other way out,” said Volodymyr Groysman, the acting minister for regional development, who is leading the decentralization initiative. |
| Germany’s foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, visited Kiev and Odessa on Tuesday to help find the way. Getting there will not be easy, however, particularly with the ever-present threat of violence in the east, which could disrupt or destroy the chances of reconciliation. | Germany’s foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, visited Kiev and Odessa on Tuesday to help find the way. Getting there will not be easy, however, particularly with the ever-present threat of violence in the east, which could disrupt or destroy the chances of reconciliation. |
| On Tuesday, for example, separatist rebels ambushed a Ukrainian Army convoy outside a village west of Kramtorsk in eastern Ukraine, killing at least six soldiers and wounding eight others, according to the Ministry of Defense, which called the episode a “terrorist attack.” | On Tuesday, for example, separatist rebels ambushed a Ukrainian Army convoy outside a village west of Kramtorsk in eastern Ukraine, killing at least six soldiers and wounding eight others, according to the Ministry of Defense, which called the episode a “terrorist attack.” |
| A separatist commander in nearby Slovyansk said that one rebel was killed in the fighting and that two others were wounded. In the city of Luhansk, the separatist governor, Valery Bolotov, was shot and wounded in an assassination attempt. | A separatist commander in nearby Slovyansk said that one rebel was killed in the fighting and that two others were wounded. In the city of Luhansk, the separatist governor, Valery Bolotov, was shot and wounded in an assassination attempt. |
| Kiev officials decided that the first round-table session would be held in Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, potentially undermining the legitimacy of the talks in the eyes of separatists but ensuring that the entire country will be represented. Although President Viktor F. Yanukovych was driven from power in February after months of protests, the membership of Parliament has not changed. | Kiev officials decided that the first round-table session would be held in Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, potentially undermining the legitimacy of the talks in the eyes of separatists but ensuring that the entire country will be represented. Although President Viktor F. Yanukovych was driven from power in February after months of protests, the membership of Parliament has not changed. |
| Despite the enormous challenges, the concept of round-table talks has been endorsed by world leaders including President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, and the discussions will be overseen in part by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine’s richest man and the region’s largest employer, has urged separatists to seek a compromise with Kiev that would increase the authority of local governments. | Despite the enormous challenges, the concept of round-table talks has been endorsed by world leaders including President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, and the discussions will be overseen in part by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine’s richest man and the region’s largest employer, has urged separatists to seek a compromise with Kiev that would increase the authority of local governments. |
| As a result, this much is clear: After months of uprising and violence, and for all the troubled history, ethnolinguistic tensions, charges of fascist aggression and Cold War-style geopolitical maneuvering that have characterized the crisis until now, events here seem about to shift into uncertain territory — a policy discussion on the optimum balance between centralized government and local control that would not be out of place in the United States. | As a result, this much is clear: After months of uprising and violence, and for all the troubled history, ethnolinguistic tensions, charges of fascist aggression and Cold War-style geopolitical maneuvering that have characterized the crisis until now, events here seem about to shift into uncertain territory — a policy discussion on the optimum balance between centralized government and local control that would not be out of place in the United States. |
| All sides to the Ukraine dispute — Moscow, Kiev, the rebels and the West — agree that some degree of devolution would be a good thing. “It’s a necessity,” Mr. Groysman said. “We should have done it during independence” in 1991. | All sides to the Ukraine dispute — Moscow, Kiev, the rebels and the West — agree that some degree of devolution would be a good thing. “It’s a necessity,” Mr. Groysman said. “We should have done it during independence” in 1991. |
| But the agreement seems to stop there. | But the agreement seems to stop there. |
| On one side is a plan for “decentralization” being developed by the provisional Ukrainian government. It uses Poland as a model and is backed by some of the country’s most important business titans. | On one side is a plan for “decentralization” being developed by the provisional Ukrainian government. It uses Poland as a model and is backed by some of the country’s most important business titans. |
| On the other is a vaguer “federalization” concept, favored by Russia and endorsed by separatist leaders, that would weaken the central administration. It would create a class of empowered regional governors, whose political and economic allegiances could be split between Moscow and the West. | On the other is a vaguer “federalization” concept, favored by Russia and endorsed by separatist leaders, that would weaken the central administration. It would create a class of empowered regional governors, whose political and economic allegiances could be split between Moscow and the West. |
| That approach has been roundly rejected by Kiev. “Federalization is a song from a different film,” Mr. Groysman, the regional development minister, said in an interview. “In order to have federalization, you have to divide Ukraine.” | That approach has been roundly rejected by Kiev. “Federalization is a song from a different film,” Mr. Groysman, the regional development minister, said in an interview. “In order to have federalization, you have to divide Ukraine.” |
| The government’s decentralization plan, which is subject to constitutional amendments that require the approval of a supermajority in Parliament, would give the mayors and councils of towns and villages a greater say in local priorities. It would essentially safeguard a fixed portion of tax receipts that, by law, would be off limits to national leaders and would thus be insulated from misappropriation at that level. | The government’s decentralization plan, which is subject to constitutional amendments that require the approval of a supermajority in Parliament, would give the mayors and councils of towns and villages a greater say in local priorities. It would essentially safeguard a fixed portion of tax receipts that, by law, would be off limits to national leaders and would thus be insulated from misappropriation at that level. |
| In Poland, 39.34 percent of revenue from personal income taxes is distributed to local municipalities, along with 6.71 percent of revenue from corporate income taxes and 100 percent of local property taxes. County and regional governments also get fixed shares of personal income and corporate taxes. Ukraine has no such system. | In Poland, 39.34 percent of revenue from personal income taxes is distributed to local municipalities, along with 6.71 percent of revenue from corporate income taxes and 100 percent of local property taxes. County and regional governments also get fixed shares of personal income and corporate taxes. Ukraine has no such system. |
| Sergei A. Taruta, a billionaire metals magnate who was appointed by Kiev as governor of the Donetsk region, which has experienced some of the worst separatist violence in the east, said he was confident that the decentralization plan would address the concerns of his constituents, who want more local control. | Sergei A. Taruta, a billionaire metals magnate who was appointed by Kiev as governor of the Donetsk region, which has experienced some of the worst separatist violence in the east, said he was confident that the decentralization plan would address the concerns of his constituents, who want more local control. |
| “We are capable of solving the problems in the east,” he said. “I have no doubt about that.” | “We are capable of solving the problems in the east,” he said. “I have no doubt about that.” |
| By some views, though, the round-table talks are just theatrics ahead of Kiev’s unwavering push to carry out a presidential election on May 25, and of efforts by pro-Russian separatists to disrupt the vote. After Sunday’s referendum on independence in the east, some pro-Russian separatists are demanding annexation by Russia. | By some views, though, the round-table talks are just theatrics ahead of Kiev’s unwavering push to carry out a presidential election on May 25, and of efforts by pro-Russian separatists to disrupt the vote. After Sunday’s referendum on independence in the east, some pro-Russian separatists are demanding annexation by Russia. |
| While the Kremlin has not shown interest, so far, in taking control of the eastern regions, it is not clear if Russia will be willing to live with a governance system that leaves most of the power in Ukraine concentrated in Kiev. | While the Kremlin has not shown interest, so far, in taking control of the eastern regions, it is not clear if Russia will be willing to live with a governance system that leaves most of the power in Ukraine concentrated in Kiev. |
| Some officials cautioned that a strong anticorruption program would be needed to prevent local governments from engaging in graft that now happens at the federal level. “Decentralization of power must not turn into decentralization of corruption,” said Grigoriy Pustovit, the governor of the Volyn region, in western Ukraine. | Some officials cautioned that a strong anticorruption program would be needed to prevent local governments from engaging in graft that now happens at the federal level. “Decentralization of power must not turn into decentralization of corruption,” said Grigoriy Pustovit, the governor of the Volyn region, in western Ukraine. |