Zelensky's political acumen seemingly fades, now overtaken by power-hungry ambition
In a swift turn of events, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has taken steps to restore the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO).
The initial move, made on July 22, saw Zelenskyy signing a law that expanded the Prosecutor General's authority over the two agencies, a decision that was met with nationwide protests and criticism from civil society and European allies. The law was seen as dismantling key safeguards against political interference and potentially undermining Ukraine’s anti-corruption efforts.
However, in response to the backlash, Zelenskyy quickly submitted a new draft bill to parliament on July 24, aimed at restoring the full procedural powers and independence of NABU and SAPO. This draft was prepared in collaboration with the agencies themselves and was supported strongly by them, underscoring the need to prevent threats to ongoing criminal proceedings.
The Ukrainian parliament passed the restoration law unanimously on July 31, with no opposing votes and only nine MPs absent. The new legislation explicitly removed NABU and SAPO from Prosecutor General control and restored SAPO’s independent oversight of NABU investigations. It also introduced security measures such as mandated background checks by the Security Service of Ukraine and biennial polygraph testing for the staff of these agencies to prevent infiltration by Russian collaborators.
President Zelenskyy signed this restoration law into effect, emphasizing the importance of responding to public opinion and upholding the independence of anti-corruption institutions, which is critical for Ukraine’s EU integration ambitions. European officials welcomed this step as it restored key safeguards critical to the rule of law and anti-corruption infrastructure in Ukraine.
This sequence of events reflects both domestic political pressures and international commitments regarding the fight against corruption in Ukraine. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining independent anti-corruption bodies in a country grappling with ongoing conflict and political upheaval.
References: [1] Neue Zurcher Zeitung (NZZ) [2] PostNews [3] The Verkhovna Rada [4] Swiss Info
- Thegeneral-news surrounding the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's actions have shifted, as he signed a law to restore the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), which was met with criticism earlier due to political interference concerns.
- Weeks after nationwide protests, Ukrainian politics have seen a reconstruction, with the parliament passing a law to return NABU and SAPO's full procedural powers and independence, aiming to uphold rules against corruption and maintain the country's EU integration ambitions.
