Thousands of Ukrainians took to the streets in cities like Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, and Dnipro to protest against a law that restricts the independence of anti-corruption bodies. The law, signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, puts the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) under the control of the Prosecutor General’s Office, effectively making them subordinate to the Office of the President.
*Key Concerns:*
– *Loss of Independence*: The move is seen as a crackdown on corruption investigations and a threat to Ukraine’s European Union membership bid.
– *Russian Influence*: The government claims the actions are aimed at rooting out Russian influence in NABU and SAPO, but civil society experts and journalists are skeptical.
– *Politically Motivated*: Critics argue that the charges are politically motivated, citing the case of Vitaliy Shabunin, co-founder of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, who was detained on suspicion of evading military service.
*International Reaction:*
– *EU Concerns*: EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos emphasized that the independence of NABU and SAPO is essential for Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations.
– *Western Partners*: Western partners in Kyiv have urged the Zelenskyy administration to end its harassment of NABU, warning that Ukraine risks alienating its most important partners in defending itself from Russian aggression.