In response to ongoing protests and international criticism of a law passed earlier this week that critics claim undermines Ukraine’s fight against corruption, president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has promised to introduce new laws.
The controversial law, which was passed on Tuesday, gives the SAD Office and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) direct control to the prosecutor general of the country, an official appointed by the president. According to critics, the law would obstruct the institutions’ capacity to be independent and would entail political interference.
Although Zelenskyy has defended the law as a necessary response to alleged “Russian influence” within the organizations, European Union officials and rights organizations claim that it lacks specifics to target Kremlin-linked operatives and raises the possibility of Ukraine’s rejection of its accession to the EU.
Following a meeting with senior government and law enforcement figures, Zelenskyy wrote on X that “I have analysed all concerns.”
He stated in a letter about the new bill’s proposal: “We will prepare and submit a bill to the Verkhovna Rada [parliament] that guarantees the strength of the rule-of-law system. Russian interference and influence won’t be tolerated, and all anti-corruption institutions will be independent.
Public outcry and the reaction in Europe
In unusual wartime protests, thousands of Ukrainians gathered in Kyiv and other major cities on Tuesday night. More than 1, 000 demonstrators demonstrating against the government in protest of the government’s decision to impose martial law, which forbids large public gatherings, on Wednesday.
According to 20-year-old student Solomiia Telishevska, who spoke to the news agency Reuters about the Zelenskyy law signing on Tuesday, “this is complete nonsense from the president’s office.” This goes against what we are fighting for and pursuing, namely, joining the European Union.
For Ukraine’s EU membership and the release of billions of foreign aid, systemic corruption has long been a top priority. As the conflict rages, Kyiv’s Western allies may become disenchanted by the law’s passage.
Zelenskyy has been requested by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who confirmed on Wednesday that she had expressed “strong concerns about the consequences of the amendments.” Johann Wadephul, the Christian Democratic Union’s deputy leader in Germany, warned on X that the restrictions were “hammering Ukraine’s way to the EU.”
Organs fighting corruption
Following a raid by law enforcement of NABU offices and the arrest of an employee on suspicion of spying for Russia, the storm erupted. Another employee was charged with having ‘illegal business ties to Moscow’. Additionally, searches and arrests were carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) agency in connection with a traffic incident.
The law passed on Tuesday was justified by Zelenskyy’s suggestion, but Ukrainian analysts have warned that the changes could undermine public confidence in Zelenskyy’s leadership at a crucial time of the conflict.
NABU was established in 2015 as a response to the deeply entrenched pro-European revolution in Ukraine. Numerous well-known cases, including those involving Zelenskyy’s administration, have been the subject of inquiries from the agency.
The raids were described by Transparency International Ukraine as “an attempt by the authorities to undermine the independence of Ukraine’s post-Revolution of Dignity anti-corruption institutions.”
Some Ukrainians think that transparency is compromised by the government’s commitment to protecting loyal insiders. Oleh Symoroz, a veteran who lost both legs in a 2022 battle against Russian forces, said, “Those who swore to protect the laws and the constitution have instead chosen to shield their inner circle, even at the expense of Ukrainian democracy.”
At a time when Kyiv’s conflict with Russia demands unity, the political commotion runs the risk of adâncening rifts in Ukraine. The Center for Civil Liberties, which won the Nobel Peace Prize, warned that the law could have a significant impact on the Kremlin. She said, “This is a gift for Putin.”
Source: Aljazeera
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