Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is facing pressure both at home and abroad for stripping the independence of anti-corruption agencies, whose work is seen as key to Kyiv's integration into the European Union.
The changes, which give his appointed prosecutor expanded powers over two investigative bodies, have drawn criticism from senior EU officials and sparked the country's biggest protests since the war.
This is what it means.
What anti-corruption agencies operate in Ukraine?
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) were founded after the 2014 revolution that ousted a pro-Russian president and set Kyiv on a Western path.
They are responsible for independently combating high-level corruption, a key condition for Ukraine to receive billions of dollars in Western aid and join the 27-nation EU.
Intelligence agencies have stepped up their efforts during Russia's full-scale invasion, bringing charges against lawmakers, senior officials and Zelensky's former deputy chief of staff.
Last month they accused the deputy prime minister of accepting a bribe of 300,000 euros.
Why were their powers limited?
In his address late Tuesday, Zelensky noted the need to “cleanse” the intelligence services of Russian influence and speed up their work.
The day before, Kyiv's Internal Security Service arrested two NABU employees on suspicion of links to Russia and carried out large-scale searches of the agency, which critics called excessive measures.
The new measures, sharply accelerated by Zelensky's ruling party, allow the prosecutor general to transfer cases between agencies and change prosecutors, several lawmakers said.
Critics, including an anti-corruption activist who has been charged with fraud and evading military service, say the crackdown is politically motivated and a reaction to their activities.
What was the reaction?
After the vote, the EU's enlargement commissioner expressed “serious concerns” about the measures, and on Wednesday Germany's foreign minister warned Kyiv against obstructing its path to EU membership.
Thousands of Ukrainians have gathered in Kyiv just steps from the site of a 2014 uprising that was sparked by democratic backsliding and threats to Ukraine's European integration.
Protesters in Kyiv hold placards during a demonstration in support of the independence of two Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies. Photo: AFP via Getty
Fighting corruption and moving closer to the West, especially after Moscow's invasion in 2022, are seen as critical to eradicating the legacy of Russian rule.
Ukrainians are outraged by the corruption and mismanagement that has taken place at the time,
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
