This is reported by Kyiv24
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting on July 23 with the heads of key anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies. The meeting took place the day after the Verkhovna Rada approved a draft law concerning the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP), which sparked numerous protests.
Discussion on Reforms and Strengthening the Fight Against Corruption
During the meeting, Zelensky emphasized the importance of the effective functioning of the law enforcement and anti-corruption system to protect the state from Russian occupiers. He stressed that criminal proceedings should not drag on for years, and individuals working against Ukraine must face inevitable responsibility.
“This is a very necessary meeting, an open and useful conversation that truly helps. We all have a common enemy – the Russian occupiers, and protecting the Ukrainian state requires a strong law enforcement and anti-corruption system, which in turn means a real sense of justice.”
The President thanked the leaders of the Security Service of Ukraine, NABU, SAP, the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, the State Bureau of Investigations, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Prosecutor General’s Office for their constructive cooperation. According to him, the parties agreed to work together to strengthen all institutions and resolve existing contradictions.
They also discussed the necessary administrative and legislative changes that should enhance the work of these agencies, mitigate threats, and ensure justice for society. Zelensky promised political support for these processes.
Next Steps and Public Reaction
A working meeting is planned for next week to develop a joint action plan, and in two weeks, a comprehensive plan for changes aimed at strengthening public interests and state stability is expected to be ready.
For their part, NABU and SAP have not yet commented on the results of the meeting. Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko confirmed its holding and noted that the main task is coordinated work of the agencies in full synergy.
On July 22, the Verkhovna Rada adopted draft law No. 12414, which reportedly limits the independence of NABU and SAP. This decision was supported by 263 deputies. NABU head Semen Kryvonos called on the president to veto this law, claiming it “effectively destroys” the independence of the two institutions.
The parliamentary decision provoked numerous protests in Kyiv, Lviv, Dnipro, and Odesa, where hundreds of people took to the streets.
Despite this, the president signed law No. 12414, stating the need to “cleanse” NABU and SAP of Russian influences and assured that both institutions would continue to operate.
Prior to this, on July 21, employees of the Security Service of Ukraine, the State Bureau of Investigations, and the Office of the Prosecutor General conducted about 70 searches of NABU employees. The Security Service reported the detention of a bureau employee suspected of espionage on behalf of the Russian special services. He was served a notice of suspicion. NABU noted that information about potential risks regarding this employee was received back in August 2023, but later the Security Service reported a lack of evidence of this person’s guilt.
NABU, established in 2015, is a central executive authority with special status that carries out the prevention, detection, cessation, investigation, and disclosure of corruption and related criminal offenses. Its jurisdiction includes cases involving the President of Ukraine, whose powers have been suspended, advisors and assistants to the president, members of parliament, government officials, judges, and civil servants of category “A.”