The European Union has no intention of stopping or freezing financial support for Ukraine in connection with the recent changes in legislation regarding the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP). This was announced by European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier.
This is reported by Kyiv24
EU’s Position on Anti-Corruption Reforms in Ukraine
Mercier emphasized that the recently adopted law by the Verkhovna Rada and signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses key issues of independence for NABU and SAP. However, the European Commission stresses that the review of the final text of the document is still ongoing, and the process of reforming Ukraine’s anti-corruption system is not yet complete.
“The law (approved today by the Verkhovna Rada – ed.) addresses key challenges to the independence of NABU and SAP. However, we still need to familiarize ourselves with the final text. Let me emphasize that this is not the end of the process. Ukraine’s accession to the EU will require ongoing efforts to ensure a strong capacity to combat corruption and respect for the rule of law. We expect Ukraine to fulfill these commitments quickly. We continue to closely monitor this issue and remain open to supporting Ukraine in this process,” the spokesperson stated.
Legislative Changes and Reaction from Anti-Corruption Agencies
Recall that on July 31, the Verkhovna Rada approved President Zelensky’s draft law aimed at strengthening the powers of NABU and SAP. The president signed this document, after which the National Anti-Corruption Bureau positively assessed the new draft law, noting that it restores all procedural powers and guarantees the independence of NABU and SAP.
Earlier, on July 22, the parliament supported draft law No. 12414, which, according to experts, could limit the independence of anti-corruption agencies. This prompted calls for the president to veto the document and led to protests and concerns among Ukraine’s Western partners. In response, President Zelensky submitted a new draft law that addressed the concerns and received positive evaluations from relevant agencies.
European Union representatives emphasize that Ukraine must continue to strengthen the independence of its anti-corruption agencies, as this is fundamental to the rule of law and an important condition for further Euro-integration.
Guillaume Mercier stressed: “There are no plans to freeze funding for Ukraine from the EU. What is important now is that Ukraine has independent anti-corruption agencies and is implementing the necessary reforms to adhere to the principles of the rule of law.”