Ukrainian Parliament approves law ensuring independence of anti-graft watchdogs

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s Parliament on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a bill presented 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.

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.

Fighting entrenched corruption is crucial for Ukraine’s aspirations to join the EU and maintain access to billions of dollars of vital Western aid in the nearly 3½-year all-out war. It's also an effort that enjoys broad public support.

The backlash brought street protests across the country that were the first major demonstrations since Russia's full-scale invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022. Though the protests didn’t call for Zelenskyy’s removal, the controversy threatened to undermine public trust in their leaders at a critical time.

Russia’s bigger army is accelerating its efforts to pierce Ukraine’s front-line defenses and is escalating its bombardment of Ukrainian cities. There is also uncertainty over how much additional weaponry Ukraine’s Western partners can provide and how quickly.

The EU issued a sharp rebuke to last week’s anti-graft changes, with Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos calling it “a serious step back.”

The Ukrainian branch of Transparency International also criticized the legislation, saying it weakened one of the most significant reforms since what Ukraine calls its Revolution of Dignity in 2014.

Zelenskyy said his goal had been to speed up prolonged investigations, ensure more convictions and remove Russian meddling in investigations, which he didn’t detail.

He said he had taken note of the protests and decided to present a new bill to Parliament underscoring that the prosecutor general and his deputies cannot give orders to anti-graft agencies or interfere in their work.

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