Issues Regarding the Determination of the Status of Local Government Officials in the Practice of the Supreme Court
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21564/2414-990X.173.361190Keywords:
local government official, fixed-term employment contract, public service, service in local government bodies, municipal lawAbstract
This article examines the impact of entering a fixed-term employment contract on the legal status of a local government official. The topic is relevant because of the ambiguity in judicial practice regarding the application of Article 10 of the Ukrainian Law on Service in Local Self-Government Bodies, the decentralization reform, the expansion of temporary appointments under martial law, and the need to ensure legal certainty in the public service sector in the context of Ukraine’s European integration.
The study provides a comprehensive analysis of Ukrainian legislation, legal positions of the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court, and the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service regarding the status of individuals appointed to local self-government bodies under fixed-term employment contracts. The article also examines scholarly approaches to the nature of municipal service and the correlation between formal and functional criteria for determining the status of a public servant.
Attention is devoted to a comparative legal analysis of the legislation of France, the Republic of Lithuania, and the Federal Republic of Germany, which demonstrates the prevalence of a functional approach in European legal systems when determining the status of persons exercising public authority functions within local self-government bodies.
The author substantiates the conclusion that the fixed-term nature of an employment contract should not, in itself, preclude a person from acquiring the status of a local self-government official where such a person performs organizational-administrative and advisory functions. The article proposes reconsidering the existing judicial approach and improving Ukrainian legislation to ensure legal certainty, equality, and compliance with the principles of good public governance.
References
Yaroshenko, O., Melnychuk, N., Sereda, O., Lutsenko, O., Hrebeniuk, V., & Konopeltseva, O. (2024). Grounds for termination of an employment contract: Theoretical and applied discourse. Kharkiv: Yurait. Retrieved from: https://dspace.nlu.edu.ua/server/api/core/bitstreams/c185bb9f-aa1d-4c0f-aba4-f04e3be0b4f2/content.
Nazarenko, I., & Melnyk, K. (2023). Problems of legal guarantees of employees’ rights in the field of working time, rest time, and remuneration under martial law. Bulletin of Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, 102(3, Part 1), 70–80. https://doi.org/10.32631/v.2023.3.06.
Baimenov, A., & Liverakos, P. (2022). Public service evolution in the 15 post-Soviet countries: Diversity in transformation. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-2462-9.
Randma-Liiv, T., Pesti, C., & Sarapuu, K. (2022). Public service development in Estonia: From patronage to meritocracy. In A. Baimenov & P. Liverakos (Eds.), Public service evolution in the 15 post-Soviet countries (pp. 135–166). Springer. DOI: 10.1007/978-981-16-2462-9_5.
Enderlein, H. (Ed.). (n.d.). Handbook on multi-level governance. Hertie School of Governance. Retrieved from: https://ndl.ethernet.edu.et/bitstream/123456789/53786/1/3.Henrik%20Enderlein.pdf.
Jäntti, A., Vakkala, H. M., & Sinervo, L.-M. (2019). Challenges of the implementation of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Finnish legislation. Lex Localis – Journal of Local Self-Government, 17(1), 23–33. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4335/17.1.23-33(2019).
Shtefiuk, O. (2025). Peculiarities of the legal regulation of public-service powers of local self-government bodies in the European Union member states. Visegrad Journal on Human Rights, 2, 160–168. https://doi.org/10.61345/1339-7915.2025.2.22
Yaniuk, N. V. (2025). Principles of service in local self-government bodies: Novelties in the legislation of Ukraine. Analytical and Comparative Jurisprudence, 5(2), 392–398. https://doi.org/10.24144/2788-6018.2025.05.2.61.
Pysmenna, O. P., & Kuran, O. V. (2024). Service in local self-government bodies: Legal foundations and peculiarities under martial law. Alfred Nobel University Journal of Law, 2(9), 93–99. https://doi.org/10.32342/3041-2218-2024-2-9-8.
Malynovskyi, V. (2026). “Non-systemic” public service in Ukraine: Causes and consequences. Public Administration: Concepts, Paradigm, Development, Improvement, 15, 61–68. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31470/2786-6246-2026-15-61-68.
Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court. (2019, June 26). Resolution in Case № 175/3283/18. Unified State Register of Court Decisions. Retrieved from: https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/82997491.
Third Administrative Court of Appeal. (2025, November 25). Resolution in Case № 160/28460/24. Unified State Register of Court Decisions. Retrieved from: https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/132098438.
Supreme Court, Third Judicial Chamber of the Civil Cassation Court. (2025, November 19). Resolution in Case № 464/3614/22. Unified State Register of Court Decisions. Retrieved from: https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/132391113.
Supreme Court, Administrative Cassation Court. (2024, December 6). Resolution in Case № 420/15205/23. Unified State Register of Court Decisions. Retrieved from: https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/123584209.
National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service. (2025, December 15). Information regarding the possibility of appointing an employee for the period of absence of local self-government officials. Retrieved from: https://nads.gov.ua/news/informuyemo-shchodo-mozhlivosti-priznachiti-pracivnika-na-chas-vidsutnosti-vidpustki-posadovih-osib-organiv-miscevogo-samovryaduvannya.
National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service. (2022, October 25). Clarification № 161 regarding the appointment of persons to positions in local self-government bodies during martial law. Retrieved from: https://nads.gov.ua/npas/shchodo-pryznachennia-osib-na-posady-v-orhany-mistsevoho-samovriaduvannia-u-period-dii-voiennoho-stanu.
National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service. (n.d.). Status of a person employed in local self-government bodies under a fixed-term employment contract (contract): Clarification of the NACS. Retrieved from: https://decentralization.ua/news/15712.
French Republic. (1984). Loi № 84-53 du 26 janvier 1984 portant dispositions statutaires relatives à la fonction publique territoriale. Légifrance. Retrieved from: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/id/LEGISCTA000028534435?utm_source=chatgpt.com.
Republic of Lithuania. (1994). Lietuvos Respublikos vietos savivaldos įstatymas Nr. I-533, 1994 m. liepos 7 d. Retrieved from: https://www.e-tar.lt/portal/it/legalAct/TAR.D0CD0966D67F/TAIS_57115.
Republic of Lithuania. (1999). Lietuvos Respublikos valstybės tarnybos įstatymas Nr. VIII-1316, 1999 m. liepos 8 d. Retrieved from: https://www.e-tar.lt/portal/ru/legalAct/TAR.D3ED3792F52B.
[Federal Republic of Germany. (2008). Gesetz zur Regelung des Statusrechts der Beamtinnen und Beamten in den Ländern (Beamtenstatusgesetz – BeamtStG). Retrieved from: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/beamtstg/index.html#BJNR101000008BJNE000902311.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Володимир Божко
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
