Ukraine’s Controversial Bill on Anti-Corruption Agencies Passed
A controversial bill affecting Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies, NABU and SAP, has been passed and will be submitted for President Zelenskyy’s signature, reports 24brussels.
Current investigations by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) are impacting many members of parliament, with 71 current and former MPs charged with corruption since 2022. Out of these, 42 were charged in the last three years, and 31 of the accused MPs continue to serve in the Ukrainian parliament.
Despite the backlash, some lawmakers defended their decision to undermine the independence of NABU and SAP. Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko articulated her support for the contentious legislation, arguing, “This bill, the president submitted under colossal pressure, is not about NABU and SAP, and not about the fight against corruption. NABU and SAP are organs of political pressure on Ukraine’s government from outside. We are not a country that can be ruled by foreign powers as a dog on a leash.”
Tymoshenko expressed skepticism that the EU would withdraw funding if Ukraine halted ongoing reforms. She asserted that her support for the bill was a defense of Ukraine’s sovereignty, echoing claims that align with Russian narratives used to justify its invasion of the country.
Initially, Zelenskyy swiftly signed the bill, stating that both NABU and SAP were ineffective in combating corruption and suggested that they were infiltrated by Russian agents. The move has drawn both domestic and international criticism, highlighting tensions between Ukraine’s commitment to anti-corruption efforts and political realities.
