After Ukraine protests, Zelensky submits new bill restoring anti-corruption agencies' independence
Latest: 'There should have been a dialogue' — Zelensky on controversial Ukrainian law that sparked protests
President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted on July 24 a new draft law aimed at restoring the independence of Ukraine's anti-corruption institutions.
The move follows Zelensky's decision on July 22 to sign a different bill that effectively destroyed the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO).
The controversial bill, which also undermined Ukraine's aspirations to join the European Union, triggered large-scale protests all over Ukraine, forcing the authorities to roll back.
In a statement following its review of the new draft law, NABU said the legislation would "restore all procedural powers and guarantees of independence" for both NABU and SAPO.
Ukraine's Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC), a watchdog, also supported the initiative, saying it would "restore the principles previously dismantled by the Verkhovna Rada."
"This is the result of exceptionally incredible Ukrainians who have shown the authorities in recent days that they will not allow their European future to be destroyed," the statement reads.
"However, even one week of delay can be enough to destroy a bunch of NABU and SAPO proceedings against top corrupt officials."
Parliamentary Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk said the draft will be reviewed at the next plenary session, though the Verkhovna Rada is officially in recess until the end of August.
Stefanchuk said that the law could be considered "much earlier than in a month."
The July 22 controversial law was passed and signed under the pretext of ridding anti-corruption agencies of Russian influence.
Zelensky claimed on July 24 that his new bill is intended to safeguard the independence of Ukraine's anti-corruption institutions and protect the legal system from Russian influence or interference. He described the draft as "balanced," but did not provide further details.
"The most important thing is real tools, no Russian connections, and the independence of NABU and SAPO. The bill will be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine today," Zelensky said.
In a Telegram post, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak noted that under the proposed bill, all employees of six law enforcement agencies, including NABU and SAPO, with access to state secrets would be required to undergo a polygraph test every two years.
The tests would be conducted by internal control units using a methodology approved by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
Earlier in the day, a cross-party group of 48 lawmakers submitted another bill to the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, aimed at restoring the independence of the NABU and SAPO.
"Tomorrow (the bill) can be voted on," Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, head of the parliamentary committee on freedom of speech, wrote on Facebook. "Your move, Mr. President."
On July 22, the Ukrainian parliament approved amendments that grant the prosecutor general new powers over cases led by the NABU and SAPO.
Zelensky later that day signed the bill into law, effectively destroying the independence of Ukraine's two key anti-corruption institutions, opposition lawmakers and watchdogs say.
The new law signed by Zelensky allows the prosecutor general to issue binding instructions to NABU, reassign cases outside the agency, and delegate SAPO's authority to other prosecutors. Critics say the changes dismantle safeguards that protect both bodies from political interference.
Among other new powers, the prosecutor general could also close NABU's investigations at the legal defense's request.
On July 23-24, protestors gathered in major cities across the country, including Kyiv, Lviv, Dnipro, and Odesa, with growing calls urging the government to amend current laws.
Ukrainians who spoke to the Kyiv Independent sounded a code red for the country's democracy, saying the move marked the "point of no return."
Zelensky claimed that the purpose of the law dismantling Ukraine's anti-corruption infrastructure was to curtail Russian influence.
However, the law passed and signed on July 22 does not have anything to do with Russian influence. Its clauses deprive anti-corruption agencies of their independence, and there is nothing in the law that targets Russian agents in or outside the agencies.
"The clause that the prosecutor general can take cases away from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) is unlikely to have an impact on (Russian agents)," Kateryna Butko, head of the anti-corruption watchdog AutoMaidan, told the Kyiv Independent.
On July 23, Zelensky said Ukraine's law enforcement and anti-corruption institutions will present a joint action plan within two weeks aimed at strengthening the justice system.
Speaking after a high-level meeting with the heads of Ukraine's top law enforcement and anti-corruption bodies, Zelensky said the leaders agreed to develop coordinated reforms to restore public trust and ensure accountability.
"We all hear what society is saying," Zelensky said. "We see what people expect from state institutions — ensured justice and the effective functioning of each institution.
"We discussed the necessary administrative and legislative decisions that would strengthen the work of each institution, resolve existing contradictions, and eliminate threats."
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen raised "strong concerns" with Zelensky over the new law, European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier said on July 23.
The Kyiv Independent was targeted by a coordinated distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack on July 22-23, coinciding with its coverage of the new law.
