Zelenskyy signs law on anti-corruption bodies amid criticism

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a bill that tightens restrictions on two major anti-corruption agencies, despite protests and criticism from Ukraine’s European allies.

On July 22, hundreds of Ukrainians gathered in central Kyiv to protest, demanding that Zelenskyy veto the bill.

A total of 263 members of the Verkhovna Rada voted in favor of the law, which limits the independence of Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).

NABU investigates state institutions, while SAPO handles other corruption cases.

In an evening video address, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine’s anti-corruption infrastructure must be cleansed of Russian influence, adding that NABU and SAPO will continue their work.

“It is also important that the Attorney General commits to ensuring real accountability for lawbreakers,” he noted.

The European Union described Verkhovna Rada’s decision to pass the bill as a “serious step backward.” EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos criticized the vote.