A controversial bill that gives Ukraine’s prosecutor general sweeping authority over its independent anticorruption agencies has been signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022, anti-government protests on Tuesday were the biggest ones. On Wednesday, more protests are anticipated.
The National Anticorruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) are now empowered to supervise and rescind investigations that are currently under the law.
Two significant institutions, NABU and SAPO, have long served as a symbol for Ukraine’s commitment to eradicating high-level corruption. These organizations are viewed as political tools by critics who fear that the move will undermine their independence.
Demonstrators chanted “We chose Europe, not autocracy,” and “Veto the law” as protests erupted in Kyiv, Lviv, Dnipro, and Odesa.
Many people thought the bill was a ploy to undermine Ukraine’s decade-long efforts to establish democracy, transparency, and membership in the European Union.
Two NABU officials were detained just one day earlier on suspicion of having Russian connections, and other employees were searched by Ukraine’s domestic security agency.
In his Wednesday address, Zelenskyy cited these incidents to support the reform, arguing that there had been a lack of infiltrating of the agencies and stagnant cases involving billions of dollars.
He claimed that there is no logical justification for the billion-dollar criminal cases that have been hanging for years.
However, international observers and watchdogs see a different threat.
The EU’s enlargement commissioner, Marta Kos, called the law “a serious step back,” while Transparency International Ukraine expressed concern that it undermines crucial safeguards.
The EU, G7 ambassadors, and other Western supporters emphasized that the EU must grant financial aid and join the EU without obtaining financial aid.
Disillusionment is growing despite Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka’s assurances that “all core functions remain intact.”
Source: Aljazeera
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