Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a bill reinstating the independence of his country’s anti-corruption agencies into law.
"I want to thank all the Members of Parliament right now for passing my bill – now officially a law. I have just signed the document, and its text will be published immediately," Zelenskyy said on Thursday in a video statement on X.
Zelenskyy's remarks came a couple of hours after Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, voted to support the bill, with 331 lawmakers voting in favour – well above the required threshold of 226 votes for passage.
The signing of the new bill into law followed the earlier approval by the Verkhovna Rada on 22 July of a version that placed the country’s two major anti-corruption bodies – the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) – under the oversight of the prosecutor general.
Although Zelenskyy signed that version into law, the move sparked major protests, including in the capital Kiev.
Last week, the president announced a new legislative initiative aimed at restoring the agencies' independence.
Ukraine’s president submitted the revised bill to parliament on 24 July.
In his latest remarks, Zelenskyy said the new law guarantees the “proper independent functioning” of Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions and all law enforcement bodies.
“The law ensures the absence of any external influence or interference, including through polygraph checks – regular checks for all law enforcement personnel who have access to state secrets or have relatives in Russia. This is the right decision,” he noted.
Zelenskyy added that it is important for the state to listen to public opinion and its citizens, stating: “Ukraine is a democracy – without any doubt. Government officials will also promptly inform Ukraine’s international partners about this law.”
