Ukrainian President Voldymir Zelensky has signed a bill that will weaken the independence of the country’s anti-corruption groups, spark protests and elicit international criticism.
Critics say the new law undermines the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Office (NABU) and the professional Anti-Corruption Public Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) – under the control of prosecutors.
In a speech Wednesday, Zelensky said that both agencies still need to “work” but that they need to be exempt from “Russian influence.”
Hundreds of people have gathered in Kiev since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022.
The demonstrations were also seen in cities in LVIV, Dnipro and Odesa.
“We chose Europe rather than dictatorship,” said the poster held by one protester. “My father didn’t die because of this,” another said.
Ruslan Krakchenko, a loyalist for Zelensky, a Ukrainian prosecutor, can reallocate and even close corruption probes to potentially flexible researchers.
In his speech, Zelensky criticized the efficiency of Ukraine’s anti-corruption infrastructure, saying the case was “lying down.”
“There is no reasonable explanation as to whether billions of criminal cases have been “hanging” for years,” he said.
He added that prosecutors will ensure “the inevitability of punishment” for those who break the law.
For law critics, this is at odds with over a decade of democracy and anti-corruption efforts.
It was such a desire that led to the Euromaidan uprising and the downfall of Russian President Viktor Janukovich in 2014, followed by the Russian invasion and the deaths of hundreds of thousands.
The Ukrainian government cites Russia’s influence to reduce the power of the Nab.
The day before the controversial law was passed, the Ukrainian security department and the office of prosecutors conducted a search and arrest at the Nab, targeting alleged Russian spies.
The move has sparked concern among Ukraine’s western allies.
Ukraine’s independent anti-corruption system was established 10 years ago under their claims and supervision.
It was an important prerequisite for their aid and strong bond as Ukraine declared a course of democracy during the first invasion of Russia.
“The European Union is concerned about Ukraine’s recent actions on anti-corruption agencies,” said Guillaume Mercier, a spokesman for the European Commission.
“The EU provides important financial support to Ukraine, subject to progress in transparency, judicial reform and democratic governance.”
Stopping corruption is also an important requirement for applications to join the EU in Ukraine.
European Expansion Commissioner Marta Kos criticized the bill’s adoption.
“The dismantling of the important safeguards protecting Nab’s independence is to take a serious step,” Kos wrote on social media, stating that the two bodies are “essential” to the EU path in Ukraine.
The ambassador of the G7 Group of Nations says he wants to discuss Ukrainian leadership and the pressure on Nabu and Sapo.
However, Ukrainian allies are extremely reluctant to roll back aid and cooperation when the military struggles at the forefront.
