KYIV, Ukraine — President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed into law a bill that critics contend significantly weakens the independence of Ukraine’s vital anti-corruption bodies, prompting widespread protests in several cities and drawing sharp international criticism.
The new legislation grants the prosecutor general direct control over the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP), a move that opponents argue undermines their essential authority.
In an address on Wednesday, President Zelensky asserted that both agencies would still “work” but emphasized the need for them to be cleared of “Russian influence.”
Following the bill’s passage, hundreds of citizens gathered in Kyiv for the largest anti-government protest since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Demonstrations were also reported in the cities of Lviv, Dnipro, and Odesa.
Placards held by protesters conveyed strong messages, with one stating, “We chose Europe, not autocracy,” and another emotionally declaring, “My father did not die for this.”
Under the new law, Ukraine’s chief prosecutor, Ruslan Kravchenko, a known Zelensky loyalist, will possess the power to reassign corruption probes to potentially more compliant investigators and even to close them entirely. In his overnight address, President Zelensky criticized the perceived inefficiency of Ukraine’s anti-corruption infrastructure, claiming that cases had been “lying dormant.”
He stated, “There is no rational explanation for why criminal proceedings worth billions have been ‘hanging’ for years.” He further added that the prosecutor general would ensure “the inevitability of punishment” for those who broke the law.
To critics of the legislation, this stance appears to contradict more than a decade of dedicated pro-democracy and anti-corruption efforts that fueled the Euromaidan uprising and the downfall of pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych in 2014, an event followed by Russia’s initial invasion.
The Ukrainian government has cited concerns about Russian influence as a justification for curtailing NABU’s powers. Notably, the day before the controversial law was passed, Ukraine’s Security Service and the prosecutor general’s office conducted searches and arrests targeting alleged Russian spies within NABU itself.
This development has ignited significant concern among Ukraine’s Western allies. Ukraine’s independent anti-corruption system was established ten years ago at their insistence and under their supervision, serving as a key precondition for their aid and stronger ties as Ukraine committed to a pro-democracy course following Russia’s 2014 invasion.
European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier voiced the European Union’s apprehension, stating, “The European Union is concerned about Ukraine’s recent actions with regard to its anti-corruption institutions.”
He underscored, “The EU provides significant financial assistance to Ukraine, conditional on progress in transparency, judicial reform, and democratic governance.” Eradicating corruption remains a critical requirement for Ukraine’s application to join the EU.
Marta Kos, the European Commissioner for Enlargement, openly criticized the bill’s adoption. On social media, Kos wrote, “The dismantling of key safeguards protecting Nabu’s independence is a serious step back,” emphasizing that the two bodies were “essential” for Ukraine’s path towards EU membership.
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In response, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Taras Kachka, stated that he had assured Marta Kos there would be no compromise on anti-corruption and that “all core functions remain intact.”
However, Dmytro Kuleba, who resigned as foreign minister last year, characterized it as a “bad day for Ukraine,” suggesting the president had a choice to stand with the people or not.
Ambassadors from the G7 group of nations have indicated their desire to discuss the pressure on NABU and SAP with the Ukrainian leadership.
Nevertheless, Ukraine’s allies are expected to be extremely reluctant to roll back aid and cooperation at a time when Ukrainian troops are facing significant challenges on the frontline.
