KYIV. Oct 2 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Verkhovna Rada will not have time to adopt draft law No. 2143-3 "On Kyiv - the capital of Ukraine" before the start of the local elections, said Iryna Vereshchuk, member of the Servant of the People faction and a candidate for mayor of Kyiv.

"Frankly, in fact, we will not have time to adopt this bill before the elections due to quarantine, due to the fact that the parliament has taken compulsory measures in connection with the spread of COVID-19," Vereshchuk said at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine on Friday.

"We cannot consider it in the chamber now, although we were very determined to adopt a draft law at the second reading and as a whole, which would really regulate relations between the central and local authorities in Kyiv, create district councils, give real leverage on the ground to district leaders ... and not only the appointed persons, but also the elected, who could take responsibility and really exercise local self-government functions, "she added.

The Council of Europe also agrees with this conclusion. In its conclusion on bill No. 2143-3, which was presented by the deputies during the event, the institution says: It is very likely that the bill will not be passed until the next local elections.