ETHNOLINGUISTIC DIVERSITY OF THE POPULATION OF THE SOUTHWESTERN PART OF THE ODESSA REGION AS A FACTOR OF THE TERRITORIAL ORGANIZATION OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT

Abstract

Relevance of the study. The historical and geographical region of Southern Bessarabia, located in the southwestern part of the Odesa Oblast, is the most ethnically mosaic territory of Ukraine, where ethnic Bulgarians, Moldovans, Gagauzians, and Russians are compactly settled alongside Ukrainians. Such a situation, caused by the complex historical and geographical prerequisites for the settlement of this region and its historical and political development, requires a constructive regional policy aimed at ensuring the socio-cultural needs of ethnic minorities and their integration into the all-Ukrainian political environment. An important means of implementing the tasks of harmonizing ethno-cultural and socio-political relations is the organization of local self-government, especially taking into account the fact that in Ukraine during 2015–2020 an administrative-territorial reform was carried out. The subject of the study is an analysis of the trends in the formation of the ethnic composition of the population of Southern Bessarabia and an assessment of the modern territorial structure of the settlement of ethnic communities and groups in terms of administrative districts and territorial communities, determining the features of the influence of the ethnic (ethno-linguistic) composition of the population on the geography of the administrative-territorial units of the region based on the results of the administrative-territorial reform. The purpose of the study is to determine the degree of reflection of the interests of ethnic groups of Southern Bessarabia in the system of local self-government in the context of ensuring their needs and national interests. The research methodology implements a historical- geographical approach to studying the ethnic mosaic of the population of Southern Bessarabia and a comparative analysis of the ethnic composition of the administrative-territorial units of the southwestern part of the Odessa region using cartographic and statistical methods. Results of the study. The historical-geographical prerequisites for the formation of the ethnic composition of the population of Southern Bessarabia are revealed, a comparative analysis of the parameters of the ethno-linguistic composition of the population of the administrative-territorial units of the region before and after the administrative reform is made. The influence of the ethno-geographical factor on the geography of newly created territorial communities and administrative districts is determined in the context of the prospects for balancing the interests of all subjects of ethno-political relations in the region. Practical significance: proposals have been developed to take into account the ethno-geographical factor when creating new administrative-territorial units in places of compact settlement of ethnic minorities and the organization of local self-government. Conclusions. In order to establish balanced relations between ethnic communities, groups and state structures in the regions, it is advisable to ensure a certain congruence between administrative-territorial units and areas of compact settlement of ethnic minorities, creating better conditions for them to realize their socio- cultural needs and optimize local self-government in general. Further research on this issue should be aimed at studying the socio-economic efficiency of the activities of territorial communities.