Zelensky, moving to defuse crisis, restores power of anti-graft agencies
Thousands of protesters rallied in Kyiv and other cities in recent days in a rare show of discontent after MPs led by Zelensky's ruling party rushed through amendments last week defanging the respected agencies.
Zelensky reversed course after the outcry, under pressure from top European officials who warned that Ukraine was jeopardising its bid for EU membership by curbing the powers of its anti-graft authorities.
He signed a new bill on Thursday shortly after MPs approved it 331 to 0, saying the legislation 'guarantees the absence of any kind of outside influence [or] interference'.
'Ukraine is a democracy — there are definitely no doubts,' Zelensky said on the Telegram messaging app.
Thursday's law reverses amendments that had given his hand-picked general prosecutor the power to transfer cases away from the agencies and reassign prosecutors, a step critics alleged had been designed to protect his allies from prosecution.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Maverick
2 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Moldova's pro-Kremlin regional leader jailed in election fraud case
A Moldovan court sentenced pro-Kremlin regional leader Evgenia Gutul on Tuesday to seven years in jail for channelling money from Russia to finance a political party. Gutul, who has strongly criticised Moldova's current pro-European government and has occasionally visited Moscow to meet top officials, denied any wrongdoing. She has been placed on the EU and U.S. sanctions lists on suspicion of destabilising Moldova. Prosecutors say Gutul systematically channelled undeclared funds into Moldova from 2019-2022 to finance the now-banned pro-Moscow 'Shor' party set up by Ilan Shor, an exiled pro-Russian businessman who has been convicted of fraud in Moldova. The prosecutors had been seeking a nine-year jail sentence for Gutul. The Kremlin condemned the sentence as politically motivated and accused Moldova of trampling on democracy. More than 100 people gathered in front of the court in the Moldovan capital Chisinau to support Gutul, the leader of Gagauzia, a small autonomous region whose 140,000 residents are mainly ethnic Turks. The crowd demanded freedom for Gutul, chanting 'Shame' and criticising the government. The sentence can be appealed.
Daily Maverick
13 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
What does it mean to be South African? Navigating identity in a complex democracy
In a Daily Maverick webinar asking 'What does it mean to be South African?', professors William Gumede and Pierre de Vos joined Zukiswa Pikoli to delve into identity, citizenship and inclusion 30 years into South Africa's democracy. Here are 10 takeaways. 1. Defining South Africanness: A contested and plural concept The webinar highlighted that defining 'South Africanness' is contested terrain, especially 30 years into democracy. Unlike monocultural countries, South Africa's identity is plural and layered, based on multiple identities and an acceptance of difference rather than a single shared culture, language or race. 2. The Constitution as a 'civic religion' While South Africa boasts diverse cultures and languages, the Constitution and its democratic institutions serve as a common civic identity, a 'civic religion' that binds citizens together. It's seen as a crucial pillar for a country with a deeply divided past. 3. Beyond Western models of nationhood Traditional Western models of nationhood, often based on shared culture or language, don't fully apply to South Africa. The country's identity must be more embracing, incorporating the best elements of its diverse past, present, histories and cultures. 4. Addressing xenophobia and exclusion A critical concern raised is the potential for national identity to be used for exclusion, leading to xenophobia and other forms of discrimination. The discussion emphasised the need for a shared commitment and recognition of interdependence to foster a functional constitutional democracy. 5. The role of, and pressure on, the Constitution The Constitution, with its core values of human dignity, equality and freedom, is an aspiration. However, it faces immense pressure as visible inequalities persist, leading some to question whether these values are truly shared or merely promises unfulfilled. The document itself cannot act; it is about how people and institutions behave. 6. Transforming individual identity towards a broader South Africanness A significant challenge is to transform individual, narrow self-identities (e.g. based on race or ethnicity) into a broader South African identity. This requires more engagement in families, schools, workplaces and communities to foster a sense that one's specific group identity is just a piece of a larger South Africanness. 7. Cultivating empathy and solidarity across difference A crucial missing element in South Africa's nation-building project is empathy and solidarity across different groups. People tend to have empathy for those similar to them, but extending this compassion to those who 'don't look like you' is vital for a stronger common South Africanness. This needs to be actively taught and nurtured, starting in schools. 8. The peril of politicised identity The country's national identity is deeply intertwined with politics. When governance is poor, corrupt or incompetent, or when politicians exploit divisions for votes, it undermines the common South African project. There is a strong call for consequences for politicians who sow division. 9. Reimagining commemorations and recognising diverse contributions Commemorative days and national memory-making need to move beyond focusing solely on politicians or political parties. There's a strong need to memorialise the diversity of South African society, including forgotten and excluded individuals, artists, institution builders and sports stars, celebrating a broader range of contributions to the nation. 10. The importance of recognising and refining indigenous identities While recognising and bringing back indigenous identities erased by apartheid is crucial, it is equally important to critically evaluate and remove anti-democratic or anti-constitutional elements within these identities (e.g. patriarchy). The goal is to integrate the valuable aspects of indigenous identities with the constitutional value of equality. The discussion highlighted the ongoing journey of defining and strengthening South Africa's identity, emphasising the complexities of diversity, the role of foundational values and the need for active engagement from all citizens. DM
eNCA
a day ago
- eNCA
Moscow awaits 'important' Trump envoy visit before sanctions deadline
The Kremlin said Monday it was anticipating "important" talks with Donald Trump's special envoy later this week, ahead of the US president's looming deadline to impose fresh sanctions on Moscow if it does not make progress towards a peace deal with Ukraine. Trump confirmed a day earlier that Steve Witkoff will visit Russia, likely on "Wednesday or Thursday", where he is expected to meet President Vladimir Putin. Despite pressure from Washington, Russia has continued its onslaught against its pro-Western neighbour. Three rounds of peace talks in Istanbul have failed to make headway on a possible ceasefire, with the two sides appearing as far apart as ever. Moscow has demanded that Ukraine cede more territory and renounce Western support. Kyiv is calling for an immediate ceasefire and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week urged his allies to push for "regime change" in Moscow. Trump's deadline is set to expire on Friday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday it considered the talks with Witkoff to be "important, substantial and helpful" and valued US efforts to end the conflict. Putin has already met Witkoff multiple times in Moscow, before Trump's efforts to mend ties with the Kremlin came to a grinding halt. When reporters asked what Witkoff's message would be to Moscow, and if there was anything Russia could do to avoid the sanctions, Trump replied: "Yeah, get a deal where people stop getting killed." - Nuclear stand-off - The visit comes after Trump said that two nuclear submarines he deployed following an online row with former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev were now "in the region". Trump has not said whether he meant nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed submarines. He also did not elaborate on the exact deployment locations, which are kept secret by the US military. Russia, in its first comments on the deployment, urged "caution". "Russia is very attentive to the topic of nuclear non-proliferation. And we believe that everyone should be very, very cautious with nuclear rhetoric," the Kremlin's Peskov said. AFP | Sergei SUPINSKY The chief of staff to Zelensky on Monday backed Trump's actions. "The concept of peace through strength works," Andriy Yermak wrote on social media. "The moment American nuclear submarines appeared, one Russian drunk -- who had just been threatening nuclear war on X -- suddenly went silent," he added. Trump has previously threatened that new measures could mean "secondary tariffs" targeting Russia's remaining trade partners, such as China and India. This would further stifle Russia, but would risk significant international disruption. Putin, who has consistently rejected calls for a ceasefire, said Friday that he wants peace but that his demands, dismissed by Kyiv as "old ultimatums", for ending his nearly three-and-a-half-year offensive were "unchanged". Russia has frequently called on Ukraine to effectively cede control of four regions Moscow claims to have annexed, a demand Kyiv has called unacceptable. Putin also wants Ukraine to drop its ambitions to join NATO. - Zelensky visits troops - Russia fired a record number of drones at Ukraine last month, AFP analysis of Kyiv's air force data showed, escalating its attacks as peace talks stalled. Kyiv has also said it will intensify its air strikes against Russia in response. Both sides said Monday they had downed dozens of enemy drones overnight in the latest barrage. UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE/AFP | Handout Separate Russian strikes on the southern Zaporizhzhia region, part of which it controls, killed four people, Ukrainian officials said Monday. One more was killed by Russian shelling in the southern Kherson region. Zelensky was visiting troops at the front in the Kharkiv region, he said, posting a video of him awarding soldiers with medals and walking through bunkers. Russia is seeking to establish what it calls a "buffer zone" inside the Kharkiv region along the Russian-Ukrainian border. Zelensky also said Sunday that the two sides were preparing a prisoner exchange that would see 1,200 Ukrainian troops return home, following the latest round of talks in Istanbul last month.
