Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to sign a bill stripping the autonomy of key anti-corruption agencies, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), has triggered widespread protests and criticism from Western allies. The bill, signed into law on July 22, allows the prosecutor general to oversee the two agencies, sparking fears of government control and erosion of democratic reforms.
The nationwide protests erupted in response to the bill’s passage, with demonstrators carrying signs reading “Sham!”, “Don’t make a step back, there’s an abyss there,” and “Corruption applauds” the new bill. Protesters argue that the move undermines the independence of NABU and SAPO, which were established to investigate high-level corruption and are seen as symbols of democratic reforms. Many believe this is a setback from the years of reforms following the removal of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014.
Zelenskyy defended the law, claiming that NABU and SAPO need to “get rid of Russian influence”. His allegation followed the arrest of two NABU staffers suspected of working for Russian intelligence and charges against outspoken anti-corruption campaigner Vitaly Shabunin. However, critics argue that this move is an attempt to exert political control over institutions originally created to operate independently.
The European Union has expressed serious concerns about the legislation, warning that it could derail Ukraine’s integration path. “The dismantling of key safeguards protecting Nabu’s independence is a serious step back,” said European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos. The EU has made anti-corruption a core requirement for Ukraine’s membership bid. As a result of the new law, the EU will freeze $1.7 billion, a third of its latest aid package for Ukraine.
While military aid from the EU and the United States is unlikely to be interrupted, the protests reveal a stark contrast between hundreds of thousands of servicemen on the front lines and corrupt officials who dodge the draft and thrive on corruption. “On one side, there are people spilling blood, and corruption remains high and even gets higher in certain areas, and people find it inadmissible,” said Lt Gen Ihor Romanenko, former deputy head of Ukraine’s general staff of armed forces.
Ukraine has struggled to control corruption, with the country ranking 105 out of 180 in Transparency International’s corruption index. The war has bred new forms of corruption, with some officers extorting bribes for letting servicemen take leave or go to hospital, and pilfering foreign aid. Defence Minister Rustem Umerov was investigated for alleged abuse of power, and dozens of conscription officers have been arrested for receiving bribes to smuggle people out of the country.