ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS AND FORMATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE-TERRITORIAL UNITS IN THE CONTEXT OF DECENTRALIZATION OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

In the article the methodological study of the essential characteristics of the notion of «administrative-territorial units» is conducted, based on which it is determined that this category is characterized by the following features: territorial-spatial, organizational, legal, managerial, systemic, functional and resource-based. The author also carried out research on the impact of the process of the decentralization of regional development on the formation of new administrative-territorial units. In addition, the main problem aspects of legislative regulation of this process are characterized and identified in the research paper. The result of the study is the identification and highlight of new characteristic features of the concept of «administrative-territorial unit» and its forms during the implementation of the decentralization reform.

Based on the methodological research and analysis of the peculiarities of the influence of the decentralization process on the formation of the system of administrative-territorial units, we try to distinguish the essential features that were characteristic of the administrative-territorial unit and formed in the process of formation of its new forms. Thus, the characteristics of the administrative-territorial units are following:  territorial-spatial, integral and organizational form of foundation; legislative-legal and administrative-managerial sphere of activity; a system of functional, financial-economic and social relations within the territorial formation and with the central government.

The main concern of further research should be aimed at determining the peculiarities of the foundation and functioning of territorial communities as the basic administrative-territorial units in the process of implementing the next stages of decentralization in Ukraine.