'Veto the law!' — Protests held across Ukraine after parliament passes bill weakening anti-corruption institutions
Editor's Note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Ukrainians rallied in Kyiv and other major cities on July 22 after lawmakers passed a bill that would effectively destroy two of Ukraine's key anti-corruption bodies, in the first country-wide protests since Russia's full-scale invasion began.
Despite citizens' demands that President Volodymyr Zelensky veto the bill, the president signed the law on the evening of July 22 as the protests were underway.
Demonstrators gathered in Kyiv, Lviv, Dnipro, and Odesa to oppose the legislation, which grants sweeping new powers to the prosecutor general over the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO).
"Take cardboard from boxes and make posters where you write everything you think about the recent onslaught," war veteran Dmytro Koziatynskyi wrote in a Facebook post that helped mobilize the protests.
The bill 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.
Parliament approved the bill earlier that day with 263 votes in favor, 13 against, and 13 abstaining. The measure moved through committee and the legislature and was signed by Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk within hours.
In the capital, protesters carrying flags and handmade signs chanted "Get your hands off NABU and SAP," "Veto the law," and "No corruption in government."
The atmosphere was spirited and defiant, with chants of "Power belongs to the people" and periodic renditions of the national anthem. Kyiv Independent journalists at the scene reported a crowd including veterans, active-duty soldiers, and civilians.
Protests also broke out in the western city of Lviv, where several hundred people gathered on the central Svobody Avenue, chanting "Shame!" and "Corruption is the death of the future."
Standing around a statue of Ukraine's most revered poet, Taras Shevchenko, demonstrators raised signs urging the president to block the law.
Both NABU and SAPO expressed gratitude and support for the protests, which continued after news broke that Zelensky had signed the legislation.
"We perceive this support as a sign of trust in our institution. And we will do everything to justify it," NABU said in a social media post.
"We were particularly impressed by the decisive stance of young people — the future of the country for which we work. ... We will continue to work and defend the independence of our investigations from interference."
The SAPO team also thanked the demonstrators for their support.
"Despite immense pressure and disgraceful decisions, we continue to fight for justice, integrity, and dignity," SAPO wrote via Telegram.
The protests reflect mounting concern that Ukraine's anti-corruption drive — a core condition for EU membership and international aid — is under threat.
Earlier, the move drew criticism from Kyiv's international partners. European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos expressed "serious concern" over the bill's adoption.
"The dismantling of key safeguards protecting NABU's independence is a serious step back," Kos wrote on X. "Independent bodies like NABU and SAPO are essential for Ukraine's EU path. Rule of law remains in the very center of EU accession negotiations."
The changes would amount to the "destruction of NABU and SAPO's independence and practically subordinate their activities to the prosecutor general," NABU said in a statement.
"Ukraine's anti-corruption infrastructure, built since 2015, will be destroyed," the agency added.
