NABU says Zelenskyy’s new bill reinstates anti-graft body’s independence after protests throughout Ukraine

Update 

Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau [NABU] has stated that a new bill, No. 13533 , tabled by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 24 July 2025 reinstates the guarantees of independence that the bill signed into law two days earlier removed.   It.  In a message posted on social media on the third day of mass protests over the earlier bill, the main anti-corruption investigative body in Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor [CAP] had taken part in drawing up the new bill.  Not all are so upbeat, and but the “catastrophe” described in human rights lawyer Volodymyr Yavorskyy’s comment cited a day ago, has, hopefully, been averted

Zelensky’s destruction of Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies helps only Russia 

Protests are continuing for a second day throughout Ukraine over the seriously retrograde law stripping Ukraine’s main two anti-graft bodies of their independence, and handing Ukraine’s Prosecutor General, whom the President appoints, powers not seen since the presidency of Viktor Yanukovych.  President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s attempts to present the changes as needed solely to prevent Russian influences have failed to convince anyone.  The opposite is, in fact, surely the case when the new law could well crush Ukraine’s hopes of joining the European Union. It will also have a direct, and very negative, impact on the willingness of Ukraine’s international partners to provide financial assistance, without which Ukraine’s ability to fight a powerful and ruthless enemy will be seriously compromised.

Confidence is not increased by the timing of the bill, with the critical amendments being rushed through parliament less than 24 hours after a large-scale operation, including, among other measures, at least 70 searches, involving at least 15 employees.  NABU itself reported that most of these were related to “the alleged involvement of certain individuals in traffic accidents. However, some employees are being accused of possible connections with the aggressor state.”  They appeared to be without court warrants.  Nobody has yet been convicted of working for Russia, and it is difficult to understand any need for searches without warrants in the case of traffic accidents.

Draft Law No. 12414 has a very long title and may possibly have originally been intended to address some of the real issues around the thousands of Ukrainians who have disappeared without trace since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.  The bill in its first form had been awaiting consideration since January 2025.  It was amendments made at the last minute that changed everything.  These effectively eliminated the long-fought for independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau [NABU] and the Specialized Anti-corruption Prosecutor’s Office [CAP], making both dependent on decisions taken by the politically appointed Prosecutor General.  Other moves backwards include significantly broadened powers to carry out searches without a court order.  The scope for political interference is huge. 

At its second and final reading on 22 July 2025 the bill was supported by an overwhelming majority of deputies, in particular from ‘Servant of the People’, the party associated with President Zelenskyy and Yulia Tymoshenko’s Batkivshchyna Party.  Mass protests began immediately in a large number of Ukrainian cities, yet were ignored, first by the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, and then by President Zelenskyy who signed the bill into law that same evening. 

It became clear on 23 July that calls from high-ranking EU representatives, as well as individual European countries, to not pass the bill had also been ignored.  There have since been more statements of concern, and fairly direct warnings of the consequences for Ukraine’s EU aspirations and for financial assistance. The Financial Times cited EU economy commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, who oversees financial assistance to Ukraine and whose warning could not have been clearer.  “Financial assistance to Ukraine is conditional on transparency, judicial reforms [and] democratic governments. <> The same is true concerning Ukraine’s path towards EU accession that also will require strong capacity to combat corruption.”

While the comments did not specifically refer to absolutely critical military assistance, it is hard to imagine that the changes will not have an impact on Ukraine’s defence capacity. Donors will clearly want to know how they can be sure that their money is being spent properly if the bodies mandated to oversee this have been stripped of their independence.  Celebrations are, in short, likely to be underway in Moscow.

On Wednesday evening, Zelenskyy was promising to introduce a presidential bill which would, supposedly, ensure rule of law, fight Russian influence and interference in the work of law enforcement bodies and ensure the independence of anti-corruption institutions.”  A day after signing into law a bill which destroys anti-graft bodies’ independence, he is assuring the public that he will table a bill which will right the situation.  He did not explain how.

There is nothing to suggest that the thousands of protesters heaved a sign of relief and went home.  The following is the counter-proposal, expressed very succinctly by  lawyer and human rights activist Volodymyr Yavorskyy

“I can suggest to the President a simple draft bill cancelling Draft Law 12414. No more is needed. It will not work to draw up any amendments. No appeals to the Constitutional Court will help.  All of that is drowning in words the problem that Ukraine has turned away from democracy.

To recap, the law passed:

1. Has eliminated the procedural autonomy of prosecutors; has cancelled the independent status of CAP and NABU which will now have to agree everything with the Prosecutor General, as well as other prosecutors.  This is while the Prosecutor General is a figure who is politically dependent on the President.  It will also be possible to change the jurisdiction of any case and hand it for investigation (burial) to another investigative or other body.
2. The grounds have been broadened for carrying out searches “due to the risk of losing evidence”, with the latter able to be used to cover all cases.
3. A simplified procedure has been introduced for dismissing prosecutors who refuse a transfer.  This will become a tool for those who are too zealous in wanting justice and don’t listen to instructions.
4. The circle has been broadened of persons with respect to whom special proceedings can be carried out.  A civil servant category A (all high-ranking top officials) and other groups have been added. All investigations in such cases – notification of being under suspicion and investigation – will be solely with the written consent of the Prosecutor General, or will be carried out by him. This means that a system has been created whereby ‘our people’ will never be investigated, and whatever they want can be done in the case of the others. This is a step towards attacks on the political opposition and business competitors. That is a pure example of ‘dear friends’, just with others now.

All of the above can be rectified exclusively by cancelling this law. “