Rada to Vote on NABU and SAPO Independence Law: Date Confirmed

On July 31, the Verkhovna Rada is set to vote on a crucial anti-corruption reform bill aimed at restoring the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO). A day earlier, on July 30, the draft law will undergo expedited review by the relevant parliamentary committee.

This was stated by People’s Deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak.

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has added to the agenda of its July 31 session a vote on the draft law aimed at restoring the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO). According to MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak, this issue will be the first item considered during the plenary session.

A day earlier, on July 30 at 1:00 PM, the Verkhovna Rada’s Committee on Law Enforcement will hold an extraordinary meeting via video conference to review presidential draft law No. 13533. The proposed legislation seeks to amend the Criminal Procedure Code and other legal acts to reinforce the independence and authority of NABU and SAPO.

“The meeting has been scheduled in response to the President of Ukraine, Acting President Zelensky, designating draft law No. 13533 as urgent for extraordinary consideration by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine,” the committee stated.

In addition to the main draft, the committee will review four alternative bills. Representatives of the Prosecutor General’s Office, NABU, SAPO, NACP, SBU, as well as the authors of the respective initiatives, have been invited to participate in the meeting.

Earlier, the European Commission put forward tough demands to Ukraine to restore the independence of anti-corruption bodies. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, during personal talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, emphasized that the independence of NABU and SAPO is a prerequisite for European integration, and there will be no compromises in this area. The EU warns Kyiv of possible consequences if these demands are not met.

The day before, the European Commission expressed serious concern about attempts to limit the independence of anti-corruption bodies in Ukraine. These concerns draft law No. 12414, which provides for the subordination of the activities of the NABU and the SAPO to the Prosecutor General.

As a reminder, on July 22, the Verkhovna Rada voted for a bill that significantly limits the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP), effectively subordinating their activities to the Prosecutor General, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed it.

As reported, society negatively perceived the actual destruction of anti-corruption bodies. On July 22 and 23, hundreds of people in many cities of Ukraine took to rallies against Law No. 12414.

Subsequently, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a law on “strengthening the powers of the NABU and the SAPO.”

In addition, several MPs who supported the scandalous bill No. 12414, which narrows the powers of the NABU and the SAPO, publicly admitted their mistake and declared their readiness to correct the situation. The reaction followed a wave of public outrage and criticism from Ukraine’s international partners.

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