Zelenskyy moves to restore anti-corruption body powers after public backlash

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has submitted a new draft law to restore the independence of the country’s main anti-corruption institutions, following public protests and growing pressure from Ukraine’s Western allies.

The move comes days after controversial legislation was passed that placed the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) under the authority of the prosecutor general, an official appointed by the president.

Zelenskyy initially defended the changes, citing the threat of Russian infiltration after Ukraine’s security services reported detaining alleged spies within one of the agencies.

But the legislation triggered the largest wave of anti-government demonstrations since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Protesters rallied across the country, warning the law risked weakening oversight and undermining public trust in Ukraine’s fight against corruption.

In a statement on Thursday, Zelenskyy said the new bill was aimed at protecting NABU and SAP from political and foreign influence, and ensuring their continued independence. He described the proposal as “well-balanced,” though specific details were not made public.

NABU welcomed the announcement, saying the draft legislation restores “all procedural powers and guarantees of independence” for both agencies.

The European Commission, which has made judicial reform a condition for Ukraine’s European Union accession process, also voiced approval. A spokesperson said Brussels was working with Kyiv to ensure that concerns over the earlier law would be fully addressed.

The original creation of NABU and SAP in 2014–15 had been a key requirement by both the EU and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in exchange for closer cooperation and visa liberalisation.

Opposition lawmaker Oleksiy Goncharenko criticised the government’s approach.

“First we take it away, and then we say it must be guaranteed. So why was all this necessary?”

Zelenskyy did not directly reference the protests in his remarks, but stressed the importance of “respecting the position of all Ukrainians” and thanked those “who stand with Ukraine.”

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