Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has submitted a draft law aimed at reinstating the independence of two key anti-corruption institutions, following widespread protests and criticism from Ukraine’s Western allies over recently enacted legislation.

The previous law, passed earlier this week, brought the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Sap) under the control of the prosecutor general — a position appointed by the president. The move immediately triggered alarm both domestically and internationally, with many warning it would erode the autonomy of the two bodies tasked with fighting high-level corruption.

In a televised address on Thursday, Zelensky backtracked on the measure, saying the new bill is designed “to safeguard the independence of Nabu and Sap” and protect them from potential Russian infiltration. He described the text of the bill as “well-balanced,” although he did not provide specific details.

Nabu confirmed in a statement that the new draft law “restored all procedural powers and guarantees of independence” for both institutions.

The initial legislation had cited concerns over Russian influence following security service raids that allegedly uncovered Russian spies within the anti-corruption agencies. However, the rationale was met with deep scepticism. The law’s passage sparked the largest protests seen in Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Demonstrators in several cities carried placards demanding that the legislation be vetoed, accusing the government of undermining democracy.

Western partners also reacted strongly. A spokesperson for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that the rule of law and anti-corruption reforms remain “core elements” for Ukraine’s EU membership bid. On Thursday, the Commission “welcomed” Kyiv’s decision to reverse course, saying it was working with the Ukrainian government to ensure concerns were addressed.

Opposition lawmakers were critical of the sequence of events. MP Oleksiy Goncharenko remarked: “First we take it away, and then we say that it must be guaranteed. So why was all this necessary?”

Zelensky did not reference the protests directly in his Thursday statement, but he stressed the importance of “respecting the position of all Ukrainians” and expressed gratitude to “everyone who stands with Ukraine.”

The independence of Nabu and Sap has long been a benchmark for international support, including aid and EU integration efforts. Their creation in 2014 and 2015 was a condition set by both the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund in the wake of the Maidan revolution and amid growing concerns over systemic corruption.

As Ukraine continues its wartime struggle and simultaneous drive toward EU membership, the president’s latest move may help to steady international confidence — though lingering questions remain over the political motivations behind the initial legislation.

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Protesters hold placards during a demonstration calling for the Ukrainian president to veto a law passed by parliament that reduces the powers of Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) in downtown Kyiv on July 22, 2025 (TETIANA DZHAFAROVA/AFP via Getty Images)

OAN Staff Blake Wolf

11:21 AM – Thursday, July 24, 2025

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is facing the first major protest across Ukraine since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war — over Zelensky’s suspicious push to dismantle anti-corruption watchdog agencies.

Large crowds of protesters gathered in Kyiv on Thursday, along with the city of Lviv and smaller groups in Dnipro and Odesa, to protest a recently passed bill.

On Tuesday, Zelenskyy enacted a contentious piece of legislation, recently approved by parliament, which places the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and its counterpart, the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), under the direct authority of the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO).

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The anti-corruption watchdog agencies were established in 2014 following the pro-Western Maidan Revolution of 2014.

Ukraine has long been perceived as one of the most corrupt nations in Europe, with a slew of corruption allegations against many of Zelensky’s close allies — in addition to Zelensky himself.

The move away from the legitimization of the anti-corruption agencies pushes Ukraine further away from its long-term goal of joining the European Union, as the EU has demanded that Ukraine further implement anti-corruption policies if it wishes to become a member nation.

Meanwhile, Transparency International’s Ukraine branch stated that the new legislation introduced a “massive setback in anti-corruption reform,” as well as a “direct threat to Ukraine’s path to the EU.”

After the bill was passed, the Security Service of Ukraine, under the direction of the Prosecutor General’s Office, conducted dozens of raids targeting NABU employees. The raids also honed in on SAPO’s handling of state secrets.

After the backlash, Zelensky claimed that he planned to backtrack on his support for the legislation, stating that it was allegedly only introduced to “protect the agencies from Russian influence.”

“We all hear what society says,” Zelensky wrote on Thursday. “We see what people expect from state institutions to ensure justice and the effectiveness of each institution.” “We agreed that next week there will be an in-depth working meeting regarding the general action plan,” he continued. “And in two weeks, a joint plan should be ready – outlining the necessary steps to strengthen Ukraine, address existing issues, provide more justice and genuinely protect the interests of Ukrainian society. The anti-corruption infrastructure will work,” Zelensky added. “Only without Russian influences – everything needs to be cleansed of this. And there should be more justice.” “Of course, NABU and SAPO will work. And it is important that the Prosecutor General is determined to ensure that in Ukraine the inevitability of punishment for those who go against the law is really ensured. And this is what is really needed for Ukraine. The cases that were pending must be investigated.”

Meanwhile, many in Ukraine have concerns over Zelensky’s seizure of the anti-corruption agencies.

An unnamed former Ukrainian official told ABC News: “We are not losing the war because the West did not give us enough weapons. We are losing the war because of corruption, lack of professional management and because many do not see why they should fight for Zelensky’s autocracy.”

Anti-corruption Ukrainian activist Vitaliy Shabunin also stated that the bill will allow the prosecutor general to “shut down all investigations involving the president’s friends.”

Additionally, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko joined protestors at the capital, writing in a Telegram post that the new law “definitely does not bring Ukraine closer to the European Union. It certainly does not bring it closer to democracy, the rule of law, and legality – to those values for which our soldiers are dying today in a bloody struggle against the aggressor.”

The mayor went on to argue that supporters of the bill are “dragging Ukraine faster and faster into authoritarianism,” while “hiding behind the war, destroying anti-corruption bodies, local self-government, silencing activists and journalists.”

“Yes, there are many questions about the independence, impartiality, and adherence to legal procedures by all law enforcement agencies,” Klitschko added. “But the system needs to be changed, not turned into a bulldog of the authorities.”

Why many critics say it’s a power grab:

Both NABU and SAPO had recently launched investigations into figures in Zelensky’s circle—such as Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov and Timur Mindich—raising suspicions the law helps shield the president’s allies.

Legal analysts and anti‑corruption NGOs warn that subordinating NABU and SAPO to a politically appointed prosecutor general compromises their impartiality and ability to hold officials accountable—including powerful ones.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has submitted a new draft bill to parliament to restore the independence of two anti-corruption agencies, after a controversial law curbing their autonomy sparked nationwide protests.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) had effectively lost the guarantees that enabled them to combat high-level corruption when Zelenskyy signed the law on July 22.

Following two days of mass protests in Kyiv and a number of other major Ukrainian cities and criticism from Kyiv’s European allies, Zelenskyy submitted the new bill to parliament on July 24. The proposed legislation is set to restore all procedural powers and guarantees of independence, according to NABU.

“NABU and SAPO participated in the preparation of the text and call on the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to adopt the president’s initiative as a basis and in general as soon as possible,” the agency said in a statement published in Telegram.

“This will help prevent threats to criminal proceedings investigated by NABU and SAPO,” it added.

Zelenskyy said on Telegram that the “balanced text” of the draft bill now guarantees the independence of both agencies and the “absence of Russian influence” on their work, which he had previously claimed was the main reason for the move that brought the agencies under the control of the Prosecutor-General.

“We respect the position of all Ukrainians,” Zelenskyy added in his post.

Ruslan Stefanchuk, speaker of Ukraine’s parliament, announced on Facebook that the document would be reviewed during the next plenary session. Prior to the announcement, Ukrainian opposition deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak reported that the Verkhovna Rada had gone on “vacation” until the end of August.

However, in his Facebook post, Stefanchuk added that the session would be held sooner than a month from now.

Later on July 24, Zelenskyy said he had informed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of the new legislation efforts, adding that he proposed that Germany join a review of the draft bill.

“Friedrich assured me of his readiness to help,” Zelenskyy added.

Zelenskyy also said the conversation dealt with the implementation of Ukraine’s agreements with the EU on opening the first accession negotiations cluster.

“There is absolute support from Germany on this issue,” he said.

A day earlier, the European Union called the decision to adopt the original bill a “serious step back,” while other opponents of the law voiced concern that it represented a stark reversal after a decade of democratization following the pro-European and anti-corruption Maidan protests.

Germany said the legal change “hampered Ukraine’s way towards the EU,” while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed strong concerns about the potential consequences of amendments to Ukraine’s anti-corruption architecture.

Despite massive air attacks on the capital in recent days, hundreds of Ukrainians protested in central Kyiv, demanding that Zelenskyy veto the bill, saying it had been rushed through and would allow the government to meddle in high-profile corruption cases.

“In essence, Ukraine is being dragged 10 years back in terms of the fight against corruption,” Dmytro Kozyatynskiy, a young veteran of the war against Russia’s invasion, said at one of the initial protests against the law in Kyiv.

NABU investigates corruption among state institutions, while SAPO prosecutes other corruption. Some of NABU’s high-profile investigations since it began its work in 2015 have embarrassed senior officials.

Zelensky backtracks on law over anti-corruption bodies after protests

The largest anti-government protests since the start of the war took place in Ukraine this week

He said the text of the bill was “well-balanced”, but did not provide any details.

On Thursday, Zelensky backtracked, saying the new bill was intended to safeguard the independence of Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Sap), and to protect them from Russian influence.

Kyiv’s Western partners had also expressed serious concerns over the legislation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he has submitted a draft law to reinstate the freedom of two anti-corruption bodies in Ukraine – days after nationwide protests broke out over changes curbing their independence.

Nabu said that the new bill “restored all procedural powers and guarantees of independence” of the two bodies.

The law passed earlier this week brought Nabu and Sap under the control of the prosecutor general, who is appointed by the president.

At the time Zelensky justified his decision to curtail the bodies’ powers by citing Russian influence. The day before, Ukraine’s security services had carried out searches and arrests targeting alleged Russian spies at the agency.

The passing of the legislation instantly sparked the largest protests since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 in several cities across Ukraine, with many worrying the law would severely undermine the Nabu and Sap’s authority and effectiveness.

Thousands of people gathered in streets and squares across Ukraine, holding placards calling for the legislation to be vetoed.

Several commentators accused Zelensky of democratic backsliding. Their concerns were further exacerbated when Ukraine’s Western partners signalled their displeasure with the bill.

Ukraine has official EU candidate status and a spokesman for European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen previously warned Kyiv that the rule of law and the fight against corruption were “core elements” of membership to the bloc.

On Thursday, the Commission said it “welcomed” the Ukrainian government’s decision to take action against the bill.

“We are working [with the Ukrainian government] to make sure that our concerns… are indeed taken into account,” the spokesman said.

The creation of Nabu and Sap in 2014-15 was one of the requirements set by the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund to move towards a relaxation of visa restrictions between Ukraine and the EU.

Opposition MP Oleksiy Goncharenko noted Zelensky’s comments that “the independence of anti-corruption institutions must be guaranteed.”

“First we take it away, and then we say that it must be guaranteed. So why was all this necessary?”

In his message on social media on Thursday, Zelensky did not acknowledge the protests or the backlash but said it was “important that we respect the position of all Ukrainians and are grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine.”

“I have just approved the text of a draft law that guarantees real strengthening of the rule of law in Ukraine, independence of anti-corruption bodies and reliable protection of the rule of law from any Russian influence or interference,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media.

“It is important that we respect the position of all Ukrainians and are grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine,” he added.

Zelenskyy also discussed the bill, due to be submitted to the parliament on Thursday, with the British and German leaders.

He invited Berlin to join “the expert review of the bill” and Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer suggested involving experts in scrutinizing the bill, Zelenskyy said in a statement after their phone call.

Zelenskyy’s deputy prime minister in charge of Ukraine’s EU integration, Taras Kachka, reassured the bloc’s ambassadors that the independence of anti-corruption bodies remained a “priority”.

But a solution that would satisfy all parties was needed, he added.

Thousands took to the streets across Ukraine this week to protest against changes that would remove the independence of key anti-graft agencies. They were the country’s first large-scale demonstrations since the war started more than three years ago.

The law in question was swiftly approved by the parliament and signed by Zelenskyy on the same day.

It places the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) under the direct authority of the prosecutor general, who is appointed by the president.

(vib)