President Zelensky submits bill on anti-corruption
Amid massive protests across the country, President Zelensky submitted to Parliament a bill related to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau.
Amid mass protests across Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky has submitted to parliament a bill on the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP). According to him, it will strengthen the independence of these bodies.
Under the bill, not only the Prosecutor General but also the head of the SAP can now bring charges against NABU employees. SAP employees report directly only to the leadership of the anti-corruption prosecutor's office, and the Prosecutor General and his deputy prosecutors have no authority to give them instructions.
In addition, the Prosecutor General is prohibited from interfering in the work of NABU specialists.
Within six months of the law coming into force, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) must conduct inspections of employees of the NABU, SAP, the Prosecutor General's Office, the State Investigation Bureau and the National Police who have access to state secrets to investigate “actions beneficial to Russia.” The head of the SAP is reinstated as the head of the prosecutor's office.
President Zelensky identified the bill as urgent and requiring special consideration by the Ukrainian parliament.
The move by Ukrainian leader Zelensky comes amid what he is said to be a “fight with anti-corruption agencies”.
On July 22, the Ukrainian parliament passed a law abolishing the independence of two anti-corruption agencies, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office. Previously, the SBU had conducted 70 searches of 15 NABU detectives in various regions of the country. They were suspected of treason, trading with Russia and corruption.
Large protests have begun in the capital Kiev and other cities of Ukraine.
G7 ambassadors have expressed serious concerns about the SBU investigation and are planning to discuss the issue with Ukraine's leadership. Ukrainian publication Strana said that many Ukrainians are unhappy with Mr Zelensky and protests in the country are likely to continue to grow.
