Ukraine Moves to Restore Independence of Anti-Corruption Agencies

The reversal of a controversial law signed by Volodymyr Zelenskyy followed public protests and EU pressure.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses lawmakers during a session of parliament in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Oct. 16, 2024. Reuters/Andrii Nesterenko

Ukraine’s Parliament on July 31 overwhelmingly approved a bill restoring the independence of two key anti-corruption watchdogs, reversing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s contentious move earlier this month that had sparked protests and concern from European officials.

The bill, now submitted to Zelenskyy, passed with 331 votes in favor and none against. It reverses legislation signed on July 22 that had granted Ukraine’s prosecutor general authority over the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).

The move triggered Ukraine’s most serious political crisis since the beginning of the war in 2022 and saw Ukrainians stage street protests against the legislation.

The restoration of the agencies’ independence comes as Kyiv continues to push for membership in the European Union, which has made rule-of-law reforms a key condition of accession.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, who raised the issue with Ukrainian officials last week, said on July 31 that the new bill “restores key safeguards” for the countries’ anti-corruption regulators.

“The Rada corrected last week’s damaging vote undermining NABU’s & SAPO’s independence. Today’s law restores key safeguards, but challenges remain. The EU supports [Ukrainian] citizens’ demands for reform. Upholding fundamental values & fighting corruption must remain the priority,” she said on X.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and her deputy for European integration, Taras Kachka, welcomed the parliamentary approval of the new bill on July 31.

“This is a direct and responsible response to the expectations of Ukrainian society and our European partners. It confirms Ukraine’s commitment to democratic governance, the rule of law, and institutional maturity,” Svyrydenko said.

Kachka said the reform on strengthening the rule of law remains a cornerstone to Ukraine’s European future.

Reform U-Turn

On July 27, Zelenskyy said he had discussed the independence and effectiveness of Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and that they had agreed on the swift adoption of the new bill.

This marked a U-turn from Zelenskyy’s initial law, which had prompted rare public demonstrations in Kyiv and several other cities, granting the prosecutor general the power to reassign prosecutors and transfer cases from NABU and SAPO, agencies that fight high-level corruption.

Critics argued that the change opened the door to political interference, especially as NABU had been investigating several high-profile bribery cases involving senior officials.

Tensions grew when Ukrainian law enforcement agencies, including the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), conducted a series of high-profile searches targeting anti-corruption officials.

The SBU announced the arrest of one NABU official on suspicion of spying for Russia and another for alleged business ties to the country. Others were accused of links to the banned political party of fugitive former President Viktor Yanukovych. In total, around 70 searches were conducted, affecting at least 15 NABU employees.

According to NABU, while most of the allegations involved minor administrative violations, some officials are under investigation for more serious offenses. The agency also said some of the law enforcement actions had gone too far.

Both agencies said the legislation deprived them of the guarantees that enabled them to carry out their mandate to combat high-level corruption.

“We sincerely thank the citizens of Ukraine for their principled stance and active support. It is thanks to their civic engagement that anti-corruption reform in Ukraine became possible,” the agencies said in a statement.

The Ukrainian branch of Transparency International, which was critical of last week’s bill, said the new legislation restores NABU’s exclusive jurisdiction, limits the powers of the prosecutor general, and ensures SAPO’s autonomy.

The campaigners called on Zelenskyy to sign the new bill as soon as possible.

Zelenskyy has described the new bill’s text as “well-balanced,” adding that it “includes real tools, excludes any Russian ties, and upholds the independence of NABU and SAPO.”