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Zelenskyy Moves to Reinstate Independence of Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Bureaus

The draft reversal now heads to parliament after European Union officials warned that curbing agency independence could threaten Ukraine’s EU membership prospects.

Volodymyr, a 71-year-old protester, holds a sign reading "Who's scarier? Someone else's lice or your own nits?" (Photo by Mariana Lastovyria)
Young Ukrainians filled the streets of Kyiv last week to defend autonomy of anti-corruption bodies. President Zelenskyy has since heeded their call.
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Overview

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved a draft law on July 29 to restore the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP).
  • Nationwide demonstrations, led by war veterans and active-duty soldiers, marked the first mass street protests in Ukraine since the 2022 full-scale Russian invasion.
  • The original July 28 legislation would have placed NABU and SAP under the prosecutor general’s office with authority to access case files and close investigations.
  • European Union officials publicly and privately warned that weakening these watchdogs could jeopardize Ukraine’s EU membership ambitions.
  • The draft bill now heads to parliament for a vote; its passage will signal Kyiv’s stance on rule-of-law reforms under wartime governance.