The Ukrainian parliament has passed a law to restore the independence of two anti-corruption agencies, after major protests across Ukraine and pressure from EU officials and allies.
Responding to the public outcry, with protestors flocking to Ukrainian streets for the first time since the full-scale invasion, demanding transparency, the parliament reversed the law in a televised vote on Thursday. 331 lawmakers voted in favour and none against. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed he has signed the law.
Zelenskyy faced criticism after issuing a legal amendment that placed the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) under the direct control of the Prosecutor General, whom he had personally appointed in late June.
The decision prompted European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to question Ukraine's anti-corruption reform commitments and sparked protests in Kyiv and other cities across Ukraine, despite martial law. Zelenskyy quickly admitted the mistake and issued a new bill that restores NABU and SAPO's independence on 24 July.
The European Commission cautiously welcomed the law, stressing that this did not mark the end of Ukraine’s journey to EU membership. “The new law addresses the main concerns regarding the independence of NABU and SAPO,” stated a spokesperson for the European Commission. “However, we need to thoroughly review the final text, as the law has just been passed.”
"Ukraine needs to make more efforts in combating corruption and upholding the rule of law,” the spokesperson added.
Both agencies confirmed that Zelenskyy's new bill completely restores their independence. However, under the new law, employees with access to state secrets are now required to take regular lie detector tests as part of countering alleged Russian collaborations.
