The Civil Anti-Corruption Council under the Ministry of Defense says Ukraine's anti-corruption system has lost its independence within several minutes. The organization is urging President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to veto a bill No. 12414, passed by Ukrainian lawmakers, which curtails the freedom of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO)
On 22 July, the Ukrainian Parliament adopted bill No. 12414, which requires key decisions by these institutions to be coordinated with the Prosecutor General’s Office. Vitali Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, published the full text of the amendments, which he says "de facto nullify the independence of NABU and SAPO."
While the bill was introduced as addressing the investigation of wartime disappearances, last-minute amendments radically altered its essence. Both the relevant committee and the parliamentary chamber approved the changes at record speed.
“This law strips SAPO of its independence,” states the Civil Anti-Corruption Council under the Ministry of Defense.
From now on, the Prosecutor General will have direct control over prosecutors in the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, can reassign their powers, seize NABU cases, and issue directives.
This opens the door to manual control, political interference, impunity for loyal officials, and the destruction of independent investigations into high-level corruption.
“We are fighting for justice. But this law is about abuse of power and shielding installed persons,” the Council emphasizes.
The West has reacted swiftly to the law. The European Commission has voiced concern, stressing that EU financial support depends on progress in democratic governance. G7 ambassadors have said they plan to raise the issue with Ukrainian officials.
Guillaume Mercier, the spokesperson for the European Commission for Enlargement, has claimed that the EU is providing Ukraine with significant financial assistance “subject to progress in transparency, judicial reform, and democratic governance."
“These bodies are crucial to Ukraine’s reform agenda and must act independently to fight corruption and maintain public trust,” he says.
NABU was established in 2015 under pressure from Western partners and civil society.
