Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada voted on Monday to tighten restrictions on two key national anti-corruption agencies, Reuters reported, citing lawmakers. The news agency noted that the legislature stripped the autonomy of institutions that were at the center of the government's reform agenda, BTA reported.
Tackling corruption is a key requirement for Kiev to join the EU, and in recent months, independent investigations have uncovered a series of high-level corruption cases.
Today's vote paves the way for the presidentially appointed prosecutor general to gain additional control over the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP).
Yesterday, the Security Service of Ukraine arrested two NABU officers on suspicion of ties to Russia and conducted dozens of searches of agency employees.
Critics say the SSU investigation has gone too far and jeopardizes the missions of both agencies.
Speaking to reporters in Kiev, NABU head Semyon Kryvonos urged President Volodymyr Zelensky not to signs the adopted bill, which he says is an attempt to “destroy“ Ukraine's anti-corruption infrastructure.
No senior Ukrainian official has yet commented publicly on today's bill, which would allow the Prosecutor General to take control of cases and appoint prosecutors from both agencies.
Ahead of the vote, European Commission spokesman Guillaume Mercier expressed concern.
“These institutions are particularly important for Ukraine's reform agenda and they must work independently to fight corruption and maintain public trust. Ukraine's accession to the EU will require a strong capacity to fight corruption and ensure institutional sustainability,“ Mercier said.