Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed a new law to restore the independence of the country’s anti-corruption agencies, just days after approving another law that weakened the autonomy of those agencies, sparking protests across Ukraine.
On Thursday, Zelenskyy said the new bill would be reviewed by parliament soon. “This draft guarantees real strengthening of Ukraine’s law enforcement system, the independence of anti-corruption bodies, and reliable protection of the legal system from any Russian interference,” he stated.
Ukraine’s two top anti-graft agencies — the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) — welcomed the president’s new proposal. They said it would bring back their full powers and ensure their freedom from political control.
The agencies also said they had helped in drafting the new bill. They urged lawmakers to approve it quickly to protect ongoing corruption investigations.
They said, “We support the proposed law and believe it must be passed as soon as possible to ensure the independence of our work.”
CONTROVERSIAL LAW PROMPTED CRITICISM
Earlier this week, lawmakers passed — and Zelenskyy signed — a law that gave the government more oversight of the anti-corruption agencies. Many feared this would let politicians interfere in sensitive investigations. Zelenskyy defended the law at first, saying it would speed up corruption cases and block Russian meddling.
However, Zelenskyy changed his mind after facing criticism. The new bill adds new measures, like requiring law enforcement officers to take lie detector tests, and repeals the previous changes.
“The text is balanced,” Zelenskyy said. “The most important thing is real tools, no Russian ties and the independence” of the agencies.
The bill also made clear that the prosecutor general and their deputies cannot interfere with or give orders to anti-corruption agencies.
The first bill had triggered Ukraine’s biggest protests since the full-scale war with Russia began in February 2022. While the protesters didn’t call for Zelenskyy to resign, they made it clear that trust in his leadership was shaken.
“It is important that we maintain unity,” Zelenskyy said in a post after introducing the new bill.
The new draft is seen as an attempt to calm tensions. However, protests are likely to continue until parliament officially passes the revised law. On Thursday evening, protesters gathered again, though in smaller numbers than before.
EU CALLS IT A SERIOUS STEP BACK
Ukraine is working hard to join the European Union. The fight against corruption is a key condition for that goal, as well as continuing financial and military aid from Western allies.
The European Union’s Enlargement Commissioner, Marta Kos, had criticised the earlier law, calling it “a serious step back.”
Transparency International Ukraine also slammed the previous legislation, saying it damaged one of the country’s most important reforms since the 2014 Revolution of Dignity.
Meanwhile, the war on the ground continues. On Thursday, Russian attacks caused fresh devastation in several Ukrainian cities.
In the eastern city of Kostiantynivka, Russian forces dropped four powerful glide bombs and fired artillery shells. Two women, aged 48 and 59, were killed, and 14 others were injured, according to Donetsk regional governor Vadym Filashkin.
In Kharkiv, two more glide bombs hit the city center, wounding at least 42 people. Among the injured were two babies, a 10-year-old girl, and two 17-year-olds, said Governor Oleh Syniehubov.
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With inputs from Associated Press