\n\n\n\n
What Changed?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n- NABU<\/strong> (National Anti-Corruption Bureau) and SAPO<\/strong> (Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor\u2019s Office) are now subordinated to the Prosecutor General\u2019s Office.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Prosecutor General can reassign, direct, or even close<\/strong> NABU investigations and reassign SAPO prosecutors to other prosecutors Transparency International Ukraine+11The Kyiv Independent+11The Sun+11<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Lawmakers granted these powers via a vote in Parliament, backed by 263 deputies; the law was quickly signed by President Zelenskyy<\/strong> later that day The Kyiv Independent<\/a>The Kyiv Independent<\/a>AP News<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nWhy Critics Are Alarmed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n- Loss of Institutional Independence<\/strong>\n
\n- Anti-corruption watchdogs warn it undermines NABU and SAPO\u2019s decades of reform and independence\u2014including the High Anti-Corruption Court’s work The Kyiv Independent+15The Kyiv Independent+15Financial Times+15<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Threat to EU Accession and Aid<\/strong>\n
\n- The European Commission and G7 officials expressed deep concern. EU leaders highlight that independent anticorruption agencies are essential for EU membership<\/strong> and continued Western support. Critics argue this move may further delay Ukraine\u2019s EU candidacy The Sun+7Financial Times+7AP News+7<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Risk of Political Manipulation<\/strong>\n
\n- Civil society figures\u2014including NABU Director Semen Kryvonos<\/strong>\u2014have called the law a step toward dismantling the anti-corruption framework. Daria Kaleniuk described the legislative assault as a \u201c180\u2011degree turn away from European integration\u201d Wikipedia+2Transparency International Ukraine+2Wikipedia+2<\/a>The New Voice of Ukraine+6The Kyiv Independent+6Reuters+6<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Mass Protests<\/strong>\n
\n- Thousands of Ukrainians\u2014including in Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, and Dnipro\u2014took to the streets. These protests, the largest since the 2022 full-scale invasion, denounced the law as authoritarian backsliding reminiscent of post\u2011Yanukovych Ukraine The Sun<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n Government\u2019s Justification<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n- President Zelensky emphasized the need to streamline judicial processes and root out Russ\u00adian influence<\/strong>\u2014citing recent arrests of NABU officials on suspicion of ties to Russia\u2014as justification for centralizing oversight.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- He pledged a joint reform action plan<\/strong> within two weeks to address concerns and maintain effective anti-corruption work The Washington Post+4AP News+4Reuters+4<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n Context and Implications<\/h2>\n\n\n\nAnti-Corruption Ecosystem Prior to the Law<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- Since its creation in 2014, NABU, SAPO, NACP, and the High Anti-Corruption Court have served as pillars of Ukraine\u2019s anti-graft infrastructure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- An independent audit in mid\u20112025 praised NABU\u2019s work and recommended reversing earlier \u201cLozovyi amendments\u201d that weakened the Bureau\u2019s autonomy The Washington Post+11Transparency International Ukraine+11Wikipedia+11<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Civil society groups\u2014including Transparency International Ukraine\u2014demanded further reforms such as competitive selection for heads of enforcement agencies and longer statute\u2011of\u2011limitations in courts Transparency International Ukraine<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Key Consequences<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
Why Critics Are Alarmed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n- Loss of Institutional Independence<\/strong>\n
\n- Anti-corruption watchdogs warn it undermines NABU and SAPO\u2019s decades of reform and independence\u2014including the High Anti-Corruption Court’s work The Kyiv Independent+15The Kyiv Independent+15Financial Times+15<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Threat to EU Accession and Aid<\/strong>\n
\n- The European Commission and G7 officials expressed deep concern. EU leaders highlight that independent anticorruption agencies are essential for EU membership<\/strong> and continued Western support. Critics argue this move may further delay Ukraine\u2019s EU candidacy The Sun+7Financial Times+7AP News+7<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Risk of Political Manipulation<\/strong>\n
\n- Civil society figures\u2014including NABU Director Semen Kryvonos<\/strong>\u2014have called the law a step toward dismantling the anti-corruption framework. Daria Kaleniuk described the legislative assault as a \u201c180\u2011degree turn away from European integration\u201d Wikipedia+2Transparency International Ukraine+2Wikipedia+2<\/a>The New Voice of Ukraine+6The Kyiv Independent+6Reuters+6<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Mass Protests<\/strong>\n
\n- Thousands of Ukrainians\u2014including in Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, and Dnipro\u2014took to the streets. These protests, the largest since the 2022 full-scale invasion, denounced the law as authoritarian backsliding reminiscent of post\u2011Yanukovych Ukraine The Sun<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n Government\u2019s Justification<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n- President Zelensky emphasized the need to streamline judicial processes and root out Russ\u00adian influence<\/strong>\u2014citing recent arrests of NABU officials on suspicion of ties to Russia\u2014as justification for centralizing oversight.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- He pledged a joint reform action plan<\/strong> within two weeks to address concerns and maintain effective anti-corruption work The Washington Post+4AP News+4Reuters+4<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n Context and Implications<\/h2>\n\n\n\nAnti-Corruption Ecosystem Prior to the Law<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- Since its creation in 2014, NABU, SAPO, NACP, and the High Anti-Corruption Court have served as pillars of Ukraine\u2019s anti-graft infrastructure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- An independent audit in mid\u20112025 praised NABU\u2019s work and recommended reversing earlier \u201cLozovyi amendments\u201d that weakened the Bureau\u2019s autonomy The Washington Post+11Transparency International Ukraine+11Wikipedia+11<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Civil society groups\u2014including Transparency International Ukraine\u2014demanded further reforms such as competitive selection for heads of enforcement agencies and longer statute\u2011of\u2011limitations in courts Transparency International Ukraine<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Key Consequences<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Anti-corruption watchdogs warn it undermines NABU and SAPO\u2019s decades of reform and independence\u2014including the High Anti-Corruption Court’s work The Kyiv Independent+15The Kyiv Independent+15Financial Times+15<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Threat to EU Accession and Aid<\/strong>\n
- \n
- The European Commission and G7 officials expressed deep concern. EU leaders highlight that independent anticorruption agencies are essential for EU membership<\/strong> and continued Western support. Critics argue this move may further delay Ukraine\u2019s EU candidacy The Sun+7Financial Times+7AP News+7<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Risk of Political Manipulation<\/strong>\n
- \n
- Civil society figures\u2014including NABU Director Semen Kryvonos<\/strong>\u2014have called the law a step toward dismantling the anti-corruption framework. Daria Kaleniuk described the legislative assault as a \u201c180\u2011degree turn away from European integration\u201d Wikipedia+2Transparency International Ukraine+2Wikipedia+2<\/a>The New Voice of Ukraine+6The Kyiv Independent+6Reuters+6<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Mass Protests<\/strong>\n
- \n
- Thousands of Ukrainians\u2014including in Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, and Dnipro\u2014took to the streets. These protests, the largest since the 2022 full-scale invasion, denounced the law as authoritarian backsliding reminiscent of post\u2011Yanukovych Ukraine The Sun<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nGovernment\u2019s Justification<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- President Zelensky emphasized the need to streamline judicial processes and root out Russ\u00adian influence<\/strong>\u2014citing recent arrests of NABU officials on suspicion of ties to Russia\u2014as justification for centralizing oversight.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- He pledged a joint reform action plan<\/strong> within two weeks to address concerns and maintain effective anti-corruption work The Washington Post+4AP News+4Reuters+4<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nContext and Implications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Anti-Corruption Ecosystem Prior to the Law<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Since its creation in 2014, NABU, SAPO, NACP, and the High Anti-Corruption Court have served as pillars of Ukraine\u2019s anti-graft infrastructure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- An independent audit in mid\u20112025 praised NABU\u2019s work and recommended reversing earlier \u201cLozovyi amendments\u201d that weakened the Bureau\u2019s autonomy The Washington Post+11Transparency International Ukraine+11Wikipedia+11<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Civil society groups\u2014including Transparency International Ukraine\u2014demanded further reforms such as competitive selection for heads of enforcement agencies and longer statute\u2011of\u2011limitations in courts Transparency International Ukraine<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Key Consequences<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- Civil society groups\u2014including Transparency International Ukraine\u2014demanded further reforms such as competitive selection for heads of enforcement agencies and longer statute\u2011of\u2011limitations in courts Transparency International Ukraine<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- He pledged a joint reform action plan<\/strong> within two weeks to address concerns and maintain effective anti-corruption work The Washington Post+4AP News+4Reuters+4<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- President Zelensky emphasized the need to streamline judicial processes and root out Russ\u00adian influence<\/strong>\u2014citing recent arrests of NABU officials on suspicion of ties to Russia\u2014as justification for centralizing oversight.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Mass Protests<\/strong>\n
- Risk of Political Manipulation<\/strong>\n
- Threat to EU Accession and Aid<\/strong>\n
![\"Ukraine](\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/resizer\/v2\/L5BFCB6EVNPC7D4WCBRH76KUXQ.jpg?auth=348abcbbd6bec288343beaa1e5adc113aa864ff191b6201db4ea8c1138ed98b2&smart=true&width=5760&height=3840\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Protests](\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-apps\/imrs.php?src=https:\/\/arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/G7A5SEKDRER6IZI3TL4YMISW4U_size-normalized.JPG&w=1440\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Ukraine's](\"https:\/\/d1e00ek4ebabms.cloudfront.net\/production\/c9c76763-22e2-4e43-8fed-2dc5572a0293.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n