After mass protests erupted across Ukraine in response to controversial legislation weakening the country’s anti-corruption framework, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has submitted a new draft law aimed at restoring the independence of two key anti-corruption agencies: the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO).
This development comes just two days after Zelenskyy signed into law a widely criticized bill that effectively stripped NABU and SAPO of their autonomy, News.Az reports, citing Ukrainian media.
That law, passed on July 22 under the pretext of limiting Russian influence, granted the prosecutor general sweeping new powers, including the ability to reassign or shut down NABU-led investigations and override SAPO’s authority. Critics, including civil society watchdogs and opposition lawmakers, warned the move would deal a devastating blow to Ukraine’s anti-corruption drive and democratic credibility, especially as the country seeks to join the European Union.
The backlash was swift and widespread. Protests broke out in cities including Kyiv, Lviv, Dnipro, and Odesa, with demonstrators accusing the government of dismantling hard-won reforms and jeopardizing Ukraine’s European future. According to activists and analysts, the new law had little to do with fighting Russian infiltration, as claimed by the government, and everything to do with reasserting political control over independent institutions.
In response to the outcry, Zelenskyy announced on July 24 a new “balanced” bill, stating that it aims to preserve the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies while still preventing Russian interference. While the president offered few specifics, both NABU and the Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC) welcomed the draft, saying it restores previous guarantees of independence and operational autonomy.
Still, watchdogs have warned that even a short delay in rolling back the July 22 law could severely damage ongoing investigations against high-level officials. AntAC issued a stark warning: “Even one week of delay can be enough to destroy a bunch of NABU and SAPO proceedings against top corrupt officials.”
The new bill’s submission to the Verkhovna Rada comes during the legislature’s official summer recess, but Parliamentary Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk indicated that it could be reviewed “much earlier than in a month.” Separately, a group of 48 lawmakers submitted their own bill aimed at restoring the agencies’ independence, increasing pressure on Zelenskyy to act quickly and decisively.
One provision in the president’s proposal would require polygraph tests every two years for employees of six law enforcement agencies with access to classified information, a measure that would be carried out using a methodology approved by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). Critics, however, may view this clause as an indirect form of control if not properly regulated.
On July 23, Zelenskyy convened a high-level meeting with leaders from Ukraine’s top law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies. Following the meeting, he promised a joint action plan to be unveiled within two weeks to improve institutional performance and restore public trust. “We all hear what society is saying,” he said. “We see what people expect from state institutions, ensured justice and the effective functioning of each institution.”
The controversy also drew international concern. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reportedly raised “strong concerns” with Zelenskyy, a reflection of the growing tension between Ukraine’s internal politics and its aspirations for EU membership. The timing of the episode was particularly damaging, coinciding with a cyberattack on the Kyiv Independent, one of the main outlets reporting on the fallout, which was hit by a coordinated DDoS attack between July 22–23.
The coming days will reveal whether the new legislation is a genuine effort to correct course or a tactical move to defuse growing domestic and international pressure. Either way, the episode underscores the high stakes surrounding Ukraine’s democratic reform agenda and the central role of public vigilance in defending hard-won freedoms.
