Vychalkivska Y. Mechanisms of democratic civil control over Ukraine’s defense and security sector

In this dissertation paper, we have provided theoretical substantiation for mechanisms of democratic civil control over the defense and security sector of Ukraine which reveals problems in organization and implementation of democratic civil control over the defense and security sector for the sake of solving the said problems by way of further improvement of the mechanisms in this field. We have defined and characterized the mechanisms of democratic civil control over the defense and security sector of Ukraine, in particular, the organizational, political, legal, informational and special mechanisms. We have examined the present-day condition and revealed issues of concern regarding implementation of measures in ensuring democratic civil control over the defense and security sector of Ukraine in the circumstances of its reformation, and pointed out that under conditions of an external aggression, our state is facing a complicated task in reformation of its defense and security sector. One of the main directions for its reformation is the development of mechanisms of civil control over the defense and security sector. Foreign experience in organization and implementation of democratic civil control over the defense and security sector has been analyzed in terms of opportunities for its application in Ukraine. Top priority directions are suggested, and ways are determined for improvement of mechanisms of democratic civil control over the defense and security sector of Ukraine. In particular, top priority directions envisage as follows: reformation of public and military administration in the field of democratic civil control over the defense and security sector; improved legislative and regulatory support for organization and implementation of democratic civil control over the defense and security sector; development of democratic civil-military relationships in the society. The ways for improvement of the organizational, political, legal, informational and special mechanisms of the democratic civil control over the defense and security sector have been determined. Practical recommendations are suggested for public authorities which appear as subjects of democratic civil control over the defense and security sector of Ukraine.