Ukrainian Parliament approves law ensuring independence of anti-graft watchdogs

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s Parliament has approved a bill tabled by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that restores the independence of two of the country’s key anti-corruption watchdogs, reversing his contentious move last week that curbed their power and brought an outcry.

Lawmakers in the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian Parliament in Kyiv, approved Zelenskyy’s new proposal with 331 votes and nine abstentions Thursday, official figures showed.

Last week’s measure by Zelenskyy to place the watchdogs under the oversight of the prosecutor general prompted an outcry from Ukrainians, the European Union and international rights groups. It raised fears that the government could meddle in investigations and potentially shield its supporters from scrutiny.