This is reported by Kyiv24
More than fifty public organizations and media outlets have called on the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to resume online broadcasts of parliamentary meetings starting from July 31. This date has been set for the consideration of a bill that, according to the initiators of the appeal, is crucial for restoring the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP).
Reasons for the Appeal and Public Demands
In their statement, public organizations and media emphasize that the openness of parliamentary work and the timely publication of agendas are fundamentally important for ensuring transparency in the decision-making process, especially regarding anti-corruption reform. They stress that society has the right to observe in real-time how deputies vote and their public positions on critically important reforms for Ukraine.
“We, representatives of public organizations and media, call on the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to resume online broadcasts of plenary sessions on the ‘Rada’ channel and to publish the agendas of these sessions in advance. In particular, starting from the next session, where the important bill on restoring the independence of NABU and SAP will be considered. These decisions are fundamentally important for anti-corruption reform, international trust in Ukraine, and European integration. Therefore, society should have the opportunity to see in real-time how people’s deputies vote and what position they publicly express.”
Recent Developments Regarding NABU and SAP
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk confirmed that the parliamentary meeting to consider the presidential bill aimed at strengthening the powers of NABU and SAP will take place on July 31. Earlier, on July 22, the Rada adopted bill No. 12414, which, according to experts, limited the independence of anti-corruption bodies. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed this law despite numerous appeals demanding to veto the document. Following this, the new law came into effect, triggering a wave of protests in Ukraine and concern among Western partners.
In response to the criticism, President Zelensky submitted a new bill to parliament regarding the “strengthening of the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office.” The National Anti-Corruption Bureau positively assessed this document (No. 13533), emphasizing that it restores all necessary procedural powers and guarantees of independence for NABU and SAP.