In the first anti-government protests since Russia’s full-scale invasion, thousands of Ukrainians rallied in Kyiv and other major cities on Tuesday evening (22 July) after lawmakers passed a law that would weaken key anti-corruption bodies.
In the capital, protesters shouted “Shame!” while many carried out placards saying “Veto the Law,” “Fuck Corruption,” and “No Corruption in Government”.
Earlier on Tuesday, Ukraine’s parliament approved amendments to draft law No. 12414, granting the prosecutor general sweeping powers over investigations by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO).
The bill was passed with the support of 263 lawmakers, with 13 votes against and 13 abstentions.
But NABU had previously warned ahead of the vote that if this bill were adopted, the head of the SAPO would become a “nominal figure,” and NABU would lose its independence, turning into a unit of the prosecutor general's office.
In a Facebook message aimed at calming public concern, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky assured citizens that the country’s anti-corruption system would continue to function.
“The anti-corruption infrastructure will work, only without Russian influence – it needs to be cleared of that,” he said. He added that NABU and SAPO would carry on with their duties, while stressing the importance of the prosecutor general in ensuring accountability.
For its part, the Kyiv-based NGO Anticorruption Action Centre (AntAC) has accused the newly-appointed prosecutor general, Ruslan Kravchenko, of orchestrating this "assault" on anti-corruption institutions.
“The timing … correlates directly with ongoing investigations involving individuals in Zelensky's inner circle,” they also noted.
As part of its anti‑corruption reforms, largely driven by Ukraine's aspiration for future EU membership, NABU, SAPO, and the Bureau of Economic Security (BEB) were created.
Notably, they should be independent of the government, under European standards.
These bodies have uncovered alleged corruption schemes involving former deputy prime minister Oleksii Chernyshov and his business partner Timur Mindich, as well as within the presidential office, reportedly linked to chief of staff Andriy Yermak.
Additionally, investigations have implicated former defence minister Oleksii Reznikov in separate corruption allegations over military procurement.
Earlier this month, Vitaliy Shabunin, one of the most well-known anti-corruption activists in the country — and AntAC board chairman — was also charged with systematically evading military service, in what is widely seen as a politically-motivated vendetta.
Tuesday's vote in the Verkhovna Rada followed questionable searches targeting staff of NABU, in a joint operation by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), and the Prosecutor General's Office on Monday.
But operations reportedly proceed without judicial warrants, raising questions about their legality.
Before Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky signed the bill into law, the human rights group Center for Civil Liberties (CCL) urged him to veto the draft law, arguing that it poses a direct threat to the rule of law and human rights.
“We also appeal to European institutions to persuade the Ukrainian authorities to revoke draft law No. 12414, as it contradicts the founding principles of the European Union,” they said in a statement on Tuesday.
The CCL was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022.
The European Commission have also raised concerns over recent events — that appear to be a direct attempt to undermine the independence and functioning of Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions.
“Independent bodies like NABU & SAPO are essential for Ukraine’s EU path. Rule of law remains in the very centre of EU accession negotiations,” EU enlargement commissioner Marta Kos said on X.
“The dismantling of key safeguards protecting NABU’s independence is a serious step back,” she also said.
A commission spokesperson also said that EU financial support to Ukraine is “conditional” on “progress in transparency, judicial reform, and democratic governance” and that Brussels will be closely watching next developments.
The German foreign office also warned Kyiv that “the independence and strength of Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions have been key to reform efforts of recent years”.
“Ukraine will continue to be measured against their progress,” it said.
But Zelensky's move comes at a bad time, just days after the recent more pro-Ukraine shifts in Donald Trump's policy.
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Elena is EUobserver's editor-in-chief. She is from Spain and has studied journalism and new media in Spanish and Belgian universities. Previously she worked on European affairs at VoteWatch Europe and the Spanish news agency EFE.
Elena is EUobserver's editor-in-chief. She is from Spain and has studied journalism and new media in Spanish and Belgian universities. Previously she worked on European affairs at VoteWatch Europe and the Spanish news agency EFE.