Ukraine’s fight against corruption took a serious turn this week. On July 22, the country’s parliament passed a law that many experts and watchdogs believe will break down the independence of two key anti-corruption bodies. These institutions — NABU and SAPO — were created to investigate high-level government corruption. Now, with this new law, their powers may be handed over to officials closely tied to political leadership.
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The bill was passed with the support of 263 lawmakers. Thirteen voted against it, and 13 more abstained. The new law gives Ukraine’s prosecutor general, Ruslan Kravchenko, strong control over the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO). Kravchenko, who was appointed just last month, is known to have close ties to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Although the bill still requires President Zelensky’s signature to become law, it has already sparked outrage among anti-corruption officials and reform supporters. They say the new powers granted to the prosecutor general will remove the independence of NABU and SAPO, making it easier for those in power to stop or redirect corruption investigations.
NABU and SAPO Leaders Warn of Serious Setback
Under the new legislation, Prosecutor General Kravchenko can take over NABU’s investigations or move them to other prosecutors. He can also assign SAPO’s powers to outside prosecutors, weakening its authority. Even more concerning to critics, the law allows him to shut down investigations upon a request from the defense — a move that could block many cases before trial.
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Semen Kryvonos, NABU’s director, strongly condemned the bill, calling it a threat to Ukraine’s hopes of joining the European Union. At a press conference after the vote, he said, “This is effectively the end of the work of two independent institutions.”
Oleksandr Klymenko, who heads SAPO, echoed this concern. He warned that SAPO would no longer function as an independent anti-corruption body and that its real role would be reduced to a formality.
Anastasiia Radina, the head of the parliamentary anti-corruption committee, was the only lawmaker from the ruling Servant of the People party to speak against the law. She said the last-minute changes to the bill had transformed SAPO into a “fiction” and warned her colleagues not to mislead the public.
Raids, Arrests, and Rising International Concern
One day before the bill was passed, Ukraine’s law enforcement agencies raided the offices of NABU and SAPO. These searches were led by the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), and the State Bureau of Investigation. Authorities claimed they were investigating possible Russian infiltration and misconduct.
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As a result, 15 NABU employees are now being investigated. One is accused of spying for Russia, while another faces charges related to drug trafficking and ties to pro-Russian groups. Others are being looked at for less serious issues, such as traffic violations or administrative problems.
In a separate case earlier this month, the State Bureau of Investigation charged Vitaliy Shabunin, a leading anti-corruption activist, with fraud and avoiding military service — claims he denies. Activists say these moves are part of a wider crackdown on Ukraine’s independent anti-corruption community.
The European Union has also raised concerns. Guillaume Mercier, a spokesperson for the European Commission, stated that the EU is worried about the future of NABU and SAPO. He reminded Ukraine that its EU membership and financial support depend on maintaining independent, trusted institutions.
With the president’s signature now the only step left for the bill to become law, the fate of Ukraine’s anti-corruption system hangs in the balance. Many are watching closely to see what decision will come next.