Open AccessUsing forms of direct democracy to ensure public participation in the municipal budget process
Author(s) -
Natalya Vasilyeva,
Yuliya Pyatkovskaya
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
ûridičeskaâ nauka i praktika
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2078-5356
DOI - 10.36511/2078-5356-2020-4-48-58
Subject(s) - principle of legality , democracy , openness to experience , legislature , transparency (behavior) , direct democracy , public administration , budget process , work (physics) , public participation , process (computing) , political science , representative democracy , politics , law , engineering , computer science , mechanical engineering , psychology , social psychology , operating system
The article notes that the requirement of openness (transparency) of budget relations is one of the priority directions of state policy and the criterion of the international rating. Russia has the lowest rating on the index of public participation in the budget process. In this regard, the budget relations at the municipal level are in a better position, since public hearings are required for drafts of the local budget and the report on its implementation. The authors evaluate this form of direct democracy in order to ensure public participation in the budget process, conclude that it is minimally sufficient, and suggest that public hearings should work to bring the «budget for citizens» to the public. The article also discusses other forms of direct democracy. It is concluded that there is a legislative ban on the use of forms of mandatory democracy in the budget process, as well as on the legality and expediency of such regulation. It is recommended to use a survey of citizens as a form of consultative democracy. It is proposed to consider the possibility of using public discussions and holding public hearings in the format of a video conference in budget relations.