Latest news with #NationalAntiCorruptionBureau
Daily Mail
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Moment MPs brawl in Ukrainian parliament during vote on Zelensky's new anti-corruption bill after his reform plans sparked mass protests
Ukrainian parliament spiralled out of control on Thursday as two MPs engaged in a punch-up before lawmakers voted to reinstate the independence of the country's key anti-corruption bodies. Volodymyr Zelensky had sparked outrage after quietly signing a controversial bill that slashed the independence of two of the country's major anti-corruption watchdogs and was forced into an embarassing U-turn after widespread outcry against the move. He backtracked on the bill and approved a new draft bill guaranteeing the freedom of anti-corruption agencies after facing nationwide protests for the first time since war with Russia erupted. The new bill, to restore the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (Sap), was passed by 331 to 0 on Thursday in Kyiv 's parliament. But amid a tense atmosphere, two MPs could be seen exchanging punches. The pair gestured at one another before launching a punch each. They both unsuccessfully attempt to land another blow before being separated by fellow lawmakers. The scrap's cause remains unknown but it was streamed live in what was the first parliamentary vote broadcast since Russia's full-scale invasion. Zelensky said it was the 'right decision' after the anti-corruption bill was passed into law. 'This guarantees the normal, independent work of anti-corruption bodies and all law enforcement agencies in our country. It is the right decision,' he said. He also added that 'it is very important that the state listens to public opinion,' in response to the street protests. 'Ukraine is a democracy – there is no doubt about that. Government officials will also immediately inform Ukraine's partners about this law,' he added. Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said it was 'a direct and responsible response to the expectations of Ukrainian society and our European partners.' 'It confirms Ukraine's commitment to democratic governance, the rule of law, and institutional maturity,' she added. Zelensky last week placed the watchdogs under the oversight of the prosecutor-general, essentially removing their autonomy, in a move which was criticised by Ukrainians, the European Union and international rights groups. Emmanuel Macron and US officials had also tried to dissuade him from doing so. The bill - known as No. 12414 - was pushed through parliament at breakneck speed, tucked away in amendments to unrelated legislation in what opponents are calling a deliberate attempt to avoid scrutiny. It raised fears that the government could meddle in investigations and potentially shield its supporters from scrutiny. Mass protests broke out against the Government for the first time since the outbreak of war in response. Hundreds of furious demonstrators, many of them young, poured into the streets in Kyiv, staging a defiant protest despite a nationwide martial law ban on public gatherings. An estimated 2,000 to 3,000 people gathered near the Ivan Franko Theatre in the heart of the capital last week, just steps from the presidential compound. 'They are crying that they do not want to return to the times of [former President Viktor] Yanukovych,' Kyiv Post reporter Sergii Kostezh said. Fighting corruption is crucial for Ukraine's aspirations to join the EU and maintain access to billions of dollars of vital Western aid in the war against Russia. Last week the EU said it was freezing $1.7b in aid which meant to reward Ukraine for good governance standards as a result of the bill Anti-corruption measures also enjoy broad public support in the country. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, who called last week's legislative changes 'a serious step back,' welcomed approval of Thursday's bill, saying lawmakers had 'corrected last week's damaging vote.' Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said the new bill was 'a direct and responsible response to the expectations of Ukrainian society and our European partners' 'Today's law restores key safeguards, but challenges remain,' Kos, who monitors the record of countries that are candidates to join the bloc, wrote on X. 'The EU supports (Ukrainian) citizens' demands for reform. Upholding fundamental values & fighting corruption must remain the priority.' European Commission president Ursula von der added that 'President Zelensky's signature on the law restoring Nabu & Sapo independence is a welcome step.' 'Ukraine's rule of law and anti-corruption reforms should continue. They remain essential for Ukraine's progress on the European path. The EU will continue to support these efforts,' she said. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said his country 'is committed to reforms and the fight against corruption' and that Zelensky 'demonstrated a principled approach.' 'We got it fixed,' he wrote on X. The controversy threatened to undermine public trust in their leaders at a critical time, though the protests didn't call for the president's removal. Russia's bigger army is accelerating its efforts to pierce Ukraine's front-line defences 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 Ukrainian branch of Transparency International also criticized last week's legislation, saying it weakened one of the most significant reforms since what Ukraine calls its Revolution of Dignity in 2014. NABU and SAPO were established after the 2014 Maidan revolution that toppled a pro-Russian president and set Kyiv on a Western course. The two agencies have stepped up their work during the war, leveling charges against lawmakers, ministers, and a former deputy head of Zelensky's administration. Zelensky 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.
The Independent
24-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kyiv and Moscow resume drone attacks after peace talks ‘end in less than an hour'
Ukraine and Russia exchanged drone attacks against each other in the early hours today, shortly after the conclusion of the latest round of direct peace talks between delegations from Moscow and Kyiv to end the war. While Ukrainian drones hit southern Russian Black Sea areas, killing one person, injuring another and hitting an oil storage depot, Russian drones hit Ukraine 's Black Sea port of Odesa, triggering several fires in residential and other buildings. This comes as Ukrainian prisoners of war began returning home after Russia and Ukraine ended a third round of peace talks in Istanbul after well under an hour without agreement on a ceasefire. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said afterwards that more sick and wounded prisoners were returning home. He did not say how many. He has also promised to submit revised legislation in response to angry protests against restrictions on the authority of anti-corruption agencies. Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets of Kyiv, opposing the new law, which rolls back the autonomy of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office.
Bloomberg
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Ukraine's Anti-Graft Crackdown Sparks Protests Against Zelenskiy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy approved a law to strip anti-corruption agencies of their powers despite opposition, triggering the first outbreak of popular discontent against his leadership since Russia's full-scale invasion began. Hundreds of mostly young people joined rallies in the capital of Kyiv, the western city of Lviv, and the southern city of Odesa on Tuesday evening in protest against legislation that placed the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine under the control of the Prosecutor General's Office, whose head is appointed by the president.
New York Times
22-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Zelensky's Government Takes Aim at Corruption Fighters
Volodymyr Zelensky was elected president of Ukraine in 2019, partly on a promise to root out systemic corruption. But now critics say his government is trying to undermine some of Ukraine's most important anti-corruption organizations as they pursue investigations into his administration. One of Ukraine's most prominent anti-corruption advocates and a frequent critic of the Zelensky administration, Vitalii Shabunin, was accused in a court proceeding last week of evading military service and fraud. He has denied the accusation, which his many domestic and international defenders say lacks merit. If convicted, he could face a decade in prison. On Monday, even as the country came under yet another large-scale bombardment in its grueling war with Russia, Ukrainian security agencies directed dozens of raids on Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Special Anticorruption Prosecutor, saying that Russian intelligence had infiltrated the organizations. And on Tuesday, the Ukrainian Parliament, which Mr. Zelensky's party controls, passed a law that — if signed by the president — would give Ukraine's prosecutor general, who was appointed by Mr. Zelensky, new powers over investigations by the two agencies. Activists and analysts say these developments are part of a broader crackdown on independent media, government oversight agencies and other voices critical of Mr. Zelensky's administration. And they warn that the efforts threaten to dismantle years of hard-won democratic reforms. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Bloomberg
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Ukraine Anti-Corruption Officials Raided by Security Services
Ukraine's anti-graft office said on Monday some of its investigators had been raided by the security service and officials from the prosecutor-general's office. The searches are being executed without court orders, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau said on Telegram.
