The Verkhovna Rada has backed the resumption of competitive recruitment for civil service posts and positions in local self-government bodies. A total of 247 MPs voted in favour, the Verkhovna Rada reported.
The bill provides for a phased return of competitions based on professional competencies and introduces priority for male and female veterans where qualifications are equal. The document is one of Ukraine’s international commitments under the Ukraine Facility.
It provides for:
- the full restoration of open and transparent competitive selection for civil service posts and service in local self-government bodies;
- improving procedures for entry into, progression through and termination of civil service;
- introducing a preferential right to appointment to civil service posts for people with war veteran status.
Before the second reading, the European Commission proposed revisions:
- announcing competitions for vacant posts immediately after the law enters into force;
- shortening the timeframes for announcing competitions for posts to which appointments were made without competitive selection during the period of the legal regime of martial law;
- allowing the head of the service to extend the tenure of an employee appointed during martial law without a competition, provided they receive a positive assessment in the annual performance appraisal;
- establishing mandatory integrity criteria for candidates for posts and for civil servants;
- removing the bill’s provisions on candidate and кадровий reserves;
- rebooting and depoliticising the membership of the Commission on the Senior Civil Service Corps.