Protests Erupt in Ukraine as Zelensky Signs Controversial Bill Targeting Anti-Corruption Agencies
In a significant and contentious move, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a bill that critics warn will undermine the independence of Ukraine’s key anti-corruption institutions, sparking protests in major cities and drawing sharp international criticism.
The new legislation places the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) under the authority of the prosecutor general — a role currently held by Ruslan Kravchenko, a close ally of Zelensky.
The law allows the prosecutor general to reassign or even shut down ongoing corruption investigations, raising fears among activists and international watchdogs of increased political interference.
The backlash was swift. Hundreds of protesters gathered in Kyiv, voicing what many called the largest anti-government demonstration since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Similar rallies were held in Lviv, Dnipro, and Odesa, with protesters carrying signs that read:
“We chose Europe, not autocracy” and “My father didn’t die for this.”
Activists, many of whom supported Zelensky in his rise to power on an anti-corruption platform, now accuse him of backtracking on reform and jeopardizing Ukraine’s EU integration prospects.
In a national address Wednesday night, Zelensky defended the bill, asserting that Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies had been infiltrated by pro-Russian elements and were inefficient.
“There is no rational explanation for why criminal proceedings worth billions have been hanging for years,” Zelensky said.
“The prosecutor general will ensure the inevitability of punishment for those who break the law.”
While he insisted that NABU and SAPO would continue to function, critics argue the law strips them of their independence, a pillar of Ukraine’s post-Maidan anti-corruption architecture.
International observers reacted with concern. Transparency International and the European Union warned that the law could derail key anti-corruption reforms tied to Ukraine’s path toward EU membership, and risk damaging Ukraine’s credibility with its Western allies.
“This law concentrates too much power in the hands of the prosecutor general, undermining Ukraine’s commitments to democratic accountability,” said a statement from Freedom House Europe.
The legislation also risks violating EU standards on judicial independence, a core requirement in Ukraine’s ongoing membership negotiations.
