Ukrainian parliament votes to strip independence of anti-corruption agencies
Ukraine’s parliament has passed a controversial bill that places the country’s leading anti-corruption institutions under direct political oversight, prompting warnings from both domestic watchdogs and the European Union that the move could derail Kyiv’s EU membership aspirations.
On Tuesday, lawmakers voted to bring the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) under the authority of the prosecutor general — a political appointee of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
The legislation, initially introduced by members of Zelenskyy’s Servant of the People party to amend Ukraine’s criminal code under martial law, was altered at the last minute to strip NABU and SAP of their independence.
“Anti-corruption infrastructure was just destroyed by our own lawmakers,” NABU Director Semen Kryvonos said following the vote. “This is not only a conflict of interest but also a threat to Ukraine’s EU integration.”
Both NABU and SAP were established in 2015 as part of reforms demanded by the EU to strengthen judicial independence and curb corruption — a prerequisite for Ukraine’s European aspirations.
On Monday, Ukraine’s SBU security service raided NABU offices, claiming the agency was under investigation for suspected collusion with Russian intelligence. The raids, which took place just before the vote, have further fueled concerns of political interference.
The European Commission expressed concern over the new law.
“These institutions are crucial to Ukraine’s reform agenda and must operate in an independent way to fight corruption and maintain public trust,” said European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier.
Mercier emphasized that EU financial support to Ukraine remains tied to progress in transparency and governance reforms, warning that “Ukraine’s accession will require a strong capacity to combat corruption and ensure institutional resilience.”
The bill now awaits President Zelenskyy’s signature. Anti-corruption advocates are calling on him to veto it, arguing it would halt Ukraine’s EU integration efforts.
“This decision would effectively stop our integration into the European Union,” said Tetiana Shevchuk of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, pointing out that NABU and SAP have successfully prosecuted high-profile cases involving judges, MPs, and government officials.
The vote has triggered backlash among soldiers and civil society groups. Prominent journalist Olga Rudenko of the Kyiv Independent warned of democratic regression:
“Last week, we ran an editorial warning of an anti-democratic backslide in Ukraine. Today, it’s happening in plain sight. This isn’t what our people have been fighting and dying for.”
Zelenskyy’s office has yet to comment on whether the president will sign or reject the bill.
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