Zelenskyy restores independence of Ukrainian agencies after protests, EU criticism
The agencies also said they had helped in drafting the new bill. They urged lawmakers to approve it quickly to protect ongoing corruption investigations.They said, "We support the proposed law and believe it must be passed as soon as possible to ensure the independence of our work."CONTROVERSIAL LAW PROMPTED CRITICISMEarlier this week, lawmakers passed -- and Zelenskyy signed -- a law that gave the government more oversight of the anti-corruption agencies. Many feared this would let politicians interfere in sensitive investigations. Zelenskyy defended the law at first, saying it would speed up corruption cases and block Russian meddling.However, Zelenskyy changed his mind after facing criticism. The new bill adds new measures, like requiring law enforcement officers to take lie detector tests, and repeals the previous changes."The text is balanced," Zelenskyy said. "The most important thing is real tools, no Russian ties and the independence" of the agencies.The bill also made clear that the prosecutor general and their deputies cannot interfere with or give orders to anti-corruption agencies.The first bill had triggered Ukraine's biggest protests since the full-scale war with Russia began in February 2022. While the protesters didn't call for Zelenskyy to resign, they made it clear that trust in his leadership was shaken."It is important that we maintain unity," Zelenskyy said in a post after introducing the new bill.The new draft is seen as an attempt to calm tensions. However, protests are likely to continue until parliament officially passes the revised law. On Thursday evening, protesters gathered again, though in smaller numbers than before.EU CALLS IT A SERIOUS STEP BACKUkraine is working hard to join the European Union. The fight against corruption is a key condition for that goal, as well as continuing financial and military aid from Western allies.The European Union's Enlargement Commissioner, Marta Kos, had criticised the earlier law, calling it "a serious step back."advertisementTransparency International Ukraine also slammed the previous legislation, saying it damaged one of the country's most important reforms since the 2014 Revolution of Dignity.Meanwhile, the war on the ground continues. On Thursday, Russian attacks caused fresh devastation in several Ukrainian cities.In the eastern city of Kostiantynivka, Russian forces dropped four powerful glide bombs and fired artillery shells. Two women, aged 48 and 59, were killed, and 14 others were injured, according to Donetsk regional governor Vadym Filashkin.In Kharkiv, two more glide bombs hit the city center, wounding at least 42 people. Among the injured were two babies, a 10-year-old girl, and two 17-year-olds, said Governor Oleh Syniehubov.- EndsWith inputs from Associated PressMust Watch
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Mint
22 minutes ago
- Mint
Trump's new trade order is fragile
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The president calculated that others had more to lose from a trade war than the U.S. He picked off each trading partner in turn with the prospect that failure to strike a deal on his terms would result in worse treatment later. Among American allies, only the EU has the heft to inflict enough pain on American companies to change Trump's calculus. But despite drawing up plans for retaliation, it never pulled the trigger. Along with the economic pain of a trade war, Europe feared Trump would abandon Ukraine and perhaps NATO altogether. A one-sided deal was the price of keeping, for now, Trump committed to the trans-Atlantic security alliance. Of the major trading partners yet to strike deals, South Korea, Mexico and Canada can likely expect, like the U.K., Japan and the EU, to give up plenty and get nothing in return. China, the only country to have broadly retaliated, might fare differently. Trump has avoided a trade war, but it remains to be seen if the trade peace will last. 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The 15% baseline tariff and 5% military commitment represent Trump wins that put the trans-Atlantic alliance on a 'slightly more solid" basis than in February, he said. Whether tariffs achieve Trump's economic goals remains to be seen. In a recent speech, Trump's trade ambassador, Jamieson Greer, set three benchmarks: first, reduce the goods trade deficit; second, raise after-inflation incomes; and third, boost manufacturing's share of gross domestic product. The incentives in these deals to reshore production and purchase American goods should help meet these relatively low bars. As for how much of the tariffs consumers will ultimately bear, the jury is still out. From 1947 through 2012, the U.S. presided over a steady fall in trade barriers and growing economic integration. It came through painstakingly negotiated pacts. Everyone gained something and gave something up and were thus invested in the pacts' success. 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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Russian threat and why US moved nuclear bombs to UK
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Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Top Chinese, US officials huddle in Sweden for 2nd day of tariff talks
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