Ukrainians have taken to the streets to protest a recently passed bill that they say undermines the independence of two major anti-corruption bodies.
The new legislation expands the power of the general prosecutor, a presidential appointee, over the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is facing the largest demonstrations since the 2022 Russian invasion. Protests have been held outside the presidential offices in Kyiv, as well as in other cities.
The vote occurred a day after two NABU officials were arrested for alleged connections to Russia. The arrests were reportedly carried out by Ukraine’s domestic security agency, which also conducted background checks, according to the source.
Zelenskyy stated on X that he convened a meeting with heads of Ukraine’s law enforcement and other officials, including the Prosecutor General, describing it as “a frank and constructive conversation.” He emphasized the need for a strong law enforcement and anti-corruption system to defend against Russia.
NABU and SAPO released a joint statement on Telegram, as reported by the Associated Press, warning that the bill, if enacted, would render the head of SAPO a figurehead and transform NABU into a subordinate unit of the prosecutor general’s office.
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos voiced concern about the vote, calling the potential dismantling of safeguards for NABU’s independence “a serious step back.”
In another X post, Zelenskyy said that after meeting with NABU Director Semen Kryvonos, SAPO Prosecutor Oleksandr Klymenko, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, and Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Maliuk, the “anti-corruption infrastructure” needs to be purged of “Russian influence.”
This move by the Ukrainian government could jeopardize its efforts to join the European Union, as combating internal corruption is a key requirement. It could also strain relations between Zelenskyy and President , who has previously accused Zelenskyy of acting like a “dictator without elections.”
The U.S. and the E.U. have historically supported Ukrainian activists advocating for independent anti-corruption institutions. However, this pressure decreased significantly following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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