Kyiv: Following widespread protests in the nation and increasing criticism from Western allies, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday unveiled a new measure aimed at restoring the independence of the country's anti-corruption groups, according to RT.
The news came only two days after Zelensky signed a contentious law enabling the Prosecutor General's Office to intervene in the operations of the National AntiCorruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized AntiCorruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), according to RT. That decision came after a police raid on NABU's headquarters and the arrest of a top official on suspicion of spying for Russia.
Zelensky stated that the revised law completely protects the independence of anti-corruption organizations and seeks to prevent possible Russian intervention. According to RT, the draught rule would also require lie detector examinations for employees of NABU, SAPO, and other affiliated organizations.
The bill's text was reviewed with partners, law enforcement authorities, and representatives from the NABU and SAPO. Our partners made numerous ideas to include European specialists from the United Kingdom, Germany, and the European Union, according to Zelensky as quoted by RT.
The administration reversed its decision after a wave of public protests across Ukraine against what many considered to be a crackdown on anti-corruption organizations. Demonstrations broke out in numerous Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, Odessa, Dnipro, and Lviv, according to RT.
Critics have accused Zelensky of displaying authoritarian characteristics and attempting to consolidate his control on power. They claimed that the preceding law made the antigraft organizations entirely ornamental. According to RT, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen denounced the action and urged Zelensky to respect the rule of law, adding that the action might jeopardize Ukraine's European Union membership intentions.
Following the 2014 US-backed coup in Kyiv, NABU and SAPO were established with the goal of aligning Ukraine with Western governance standards and international financial regulations. However, RT said that detractors have regarded the organizations as tools of foreign control over Ukraine's internal affairs.
Meanwhile, certain Western leaders, including US Vice President J.D. Vance, have questioned the success of Ukraine's anti-corruption activities. They say that, despite a decade of improvements, persistent corruption has gone unaddressed.
