The anti -corruption law approved by Zelensky arouses anger in Ukraine

Adopted on Tuesday to an overwhelming majority in Parliament, the law reducing the independence of anti -corruption organizations in Ukraine has sparked anger in the country, where thousands of people demonstrated in the streets of kyiv and other cities for two days in a row, despite the martial law. These have been the first anti -government manifestations since the start of the war against Russia.

The detractors of the law consider that it illegitimately strengthens the power of the presidency and will allow the government to interfere in corruption affairs. They also believe that the law could give Mr. Zelensky’s entourage a greater influence on surveys.

Opposition members plan to seize the Constitutional Court to have the law cancelled.

What does the new law say?

The law adopted by 263 votes (13 votes against and 13 abstentions) puts the activities of the two anti -corruption organizations – the national anti -corrament office of Ukraine (NABU), an investigation body, and the SAP, a court dedicated to corruption affairs – under the authority of the prosecutor. The latter is himself subject to the president of the country.

Consequence: the two organizations lose their independence.

These two organizations were created in 2014, in order to demonstrate the will of Ukraine vis-à-vis the European Union to tackle the endemic corruption from which the country has suffered for many years.

Tense political context

The new law was adopted the day after the arrest by the security services (SBU) of a manager of NABU suspected of espionage for the benefit of Russia.

Previously, legal proceedings have been launched against Vitalï Chabounine, the director of one of the main ONG fighting corruption.

In addition, according to Ukrainian media, the NABU And the SAP was also preparing to charge the former Minister of National Unity Oleksiï Chernychov and investigated the former Minister of Justice Olga Stefanichina.

Earlier this month, it was also announced that the NABU had led to searches at the home of the former Minister of Defense, Oleksii Reznikov.

In the aftermath of the promulgation of the law, President Zelensky said that the new law eliminated Russian influence of the fight against corruption – without citing examples.

Zelensky s’explique

Faced with protests, the Ukrainian president explained that a new legal framework to fight more firmly against corruption was necessary.

Criminal affairs should not drag for years without verdict, and those who work against Ukraine should not feel comfortable or at the shelter of sanctions.

Zelensky said that all government agencies had agreed to work constructively and meet the expectations of the public in terms of equity and efficiency. A detailed mixed program is expected within two weeks. It aims to remedy institutional weaknesses, to remove legal obstacles and to guarantee justice at all levels, he said.

Anger in Ukraine …

The reactions in Ukraine of opponents of this law were unequivocal.

Anti -corruption infrastructure has been destroyedsaid at a press conference Semion Kryvonos, the director of NABU.

The text effectively destroys the independence of these two institutions vis-à-vis any political influence and pressure on our surveysinsisted the head of the SAP, Oleksandre Klymenko.

Roman deputy Lozinsky said that the law granted the Attorney General the power to manage the SAP, to give Mandatory written instructions au NABU And to have access to the details of any case and to delegate them to the prosecutor of his choice or to other agencies.

… Critics in Europe

Ukraine, which depends on Western aid since the Russian invasion in 2022 and which aspires to join the European Union (EU), is found in a delicate situation towards its European partners with this new law which tarnages the image of a country which wants to fight against corruption.

The reaction of Europeans has also been rapid and severe.

The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, asked for explanation To Mr. Zelensky, a spokesperson announced on Wednesday.

The latter stressed that respect for the rule of law and the fight against anti -corruption was at the heart of the European project. As a candidate country, Ukraine is supposed to fully comply with these standards. There can be no compromisehammered this spokesperson for the European Commission.

Limit the independence of the Ukrainian agency to combat corruption hinders the membership process of Ukraine to theUE.

The European Defense Commissioner, Andrius Kubilius, also wrote on X: In wartime, confidence between the nation at war and its leaders is more important than modern weapons: difficult to make and preserve, but easy to lose following a major error of leaders.

The Ukrainian branch of Transparency International for his part criticized the decision of the Parliament, affirming that it compromises one of the most important reforms since what Ukraine called its Dignity Revolution In 2014, and that it infringed confidence with international partners. The organization accused the authorities of dismantle the country’s anti -corruption architecture.

A heavy history of corruption

According to the index to perception of corruption of the body Transparency InternationalUkraine occupies the 105th position out of 180 countries. However, this position has improved an improvement since the creation of the two organizations referred to in law, an improvement of 39 points since 2014.

Several cases of corruption have been revealed in recent years. By way of examples, there were cases of recruitment agents of soldiers who took bribes to dispense the young people who did not want to go to the front.

In 2023, President Zelensky dismissed his Minister of Defense, Ihor Kolomoïsky, after a succession of corruption affairs affecting his ministry. The scandals concerned commissions on the winter outfits provided to the combatants, exaggerated commissions on imports of ammunition, food products and medical equipment.

The same year, a senior Ukrainian official from the Ministry of Defense was arrested for the diversion of some $ 57 million intended for the purchase of artillery shells.

In January 2025, the NABU launched an investigation into the Minister of Defense Roustem Oumerov for abuse of power and functions, according to the Ukrainian media.

The investigation was triggered following the dismissal by the Minister of the Director of the Defense Equipment Acquisition Agency, the mandate of which had been extended by the organization’s supervisory board.

With information from Agency France-Presse, BBC and the Canadian Press