PROBLEMS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MECHANISM OF ELECTRONIC PETITION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL (ON THE MATERIAL OF LYSYCHANSK CITY COUNCIL)

Abstract

The article considers the problems of implementation of electronic petitions at the local level. The world experience of introducing the institution of electronic petition as a mean of democratic state-building shows that electronic petitions have become an effective tool for communicating with the government, they give the government the opportunity to establish an open and effective dialogue with society through information technology. The urgency of the problem studied in the article is determined by a comprehensive analysis of its components and generalization of existing scientific approaches to defining the definition and nature of electronic petition, its place in the modern socio-political field of Ukraine in terms of building a democratic society in our country and problems, which exist in the implementation of electronic petitions both at the national and local levels. The Empirical data from the analysis of electronic petitions of the Lysychansk City Council according to The Unified System of Local Petitions and questionnaires and interviews with city residents show: firstly, that the top-priority problems are “improvement and construction” and “transport and roads”; secondly, the low level of involvement of Lysychansk residents in solving public administration issues at the local level. The last is due to defects in electronic petitions (the purpose of the petition is not clearly stated and is placed not at the beginning; petitions are written with wrong spelling and grammar; petitions are ambitious and unrealistic) and lack of public awareness of the service of electronic petitions.