In Kyiv, thousands have rallied against President Zelensky's new law that undermines the autonomy of anti-corruption agencies, raising fears of corruption resurgence and challenging Ukraine's EU integration efforts.
Zelensky Faces Escalating Protests Amid Controversial Anti-Corruption Law
Zelensky Faces Escalating Protests Amid Controversial Anti-Corruption Law
President Zelensky's recent legislation curtailing the independence of key anti-corruption bodies has sparked widespread outrage in Ukraine, leading to significant public demonstrations.
Article:
Ukraine is witnessing a significant backlash as President Volodymyr Zelensky's latest legislation comes under fire for limiting the independence of critical anti-corruption organizations. The law - which was signed on Tuesday - subjects the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) to the control of the prosecutor general, a position appointed by the president himself.
Protests erupted in the capital, Kyiv, and spread to other cities including Odesa, Dnipro, Lviv, and Sumy, as thousands of citizens expressed their discontent over the government's decision. Demonstrators, many of them young veterans, gathered outside government buildings holding signs with slogans denouncing the law and condemning perceived government corruption.
Amid these protests, Zelensky acknowledged public frustration, announcing plans for a new bill to parliament, but without revealing its possible content. The protests represent the largest anti-government gatherings seen since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Western allies of Ukraine have also reacted negatively to the legislation, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen seeking explanations from the Ukrainian government. Critics of the law argue that it could severely weaken NABU and SAP, both of which are pivotal for Ukraine's fight against corruption and its aspirations for closer ties with the European Union.
While Zelensky insists that the changes are necessary to address inefficiencies and alleged connections to Russian influence within the agencies, many citizens view the move as a regression to the corruption that characterized Ukraine's previous regime under pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.
Public sentiment has been vocal and passionate, with protest signs reading "Corruption lives – the future dies" and calls for rescue from what many perceive as a fading commitment to anti-corruption efforts and democratic values. The concerns are underpinned by Ukraine’s low ranking on international corruption indexes, which, despite improvements since the establishment of NABU and SAP, still places the country at 105 out of 180.
Opposition to the law is not limited to the streets, as leading European officials have voiced their concerns. Germany’s foreign minister pointed to the potential negative impact on Ukraine's EU accession progress, while France's European affairs minister called for a reversal of the decision.
Despite ongoing martial law prohibiting mass gatherings, many Ukrainians remain determined to protest, viewing the new law as a violation of their fight for transparency and governance, even as the ongoing war with Russia casts a shadow over daily life and political stability in the country.
As the third round of Ukraine-Russia talks got underway in Istanbul, the public’s fervent focus on domestic corruption issues is clear, raising alarms that grappling with internal challenges may prove as critical as the external conflict with Russia. "This is government lawlessness," lamented a protestor in Lviv, highlighting the growing discontent with the administration's recent actions.
Ukraine is witnessing a significant backlash as President Volodymyr Zelensky's latest legislation comes under fire for limiting the independence of critical anti-corruption organizations. The law - which was signed on Tuesday - subjects the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) to the control of the prosecutor general, a position appointed by the president himself.
Protests erupted in the capital, Kyiv, and spread to other cities including Odesa, Dnipro, Lviv, and Sumy, as thousands of citizens expressed their discontent over the government's decision. Demonstrators, many of them young veterans, gathered outside government buildings holding signs with slogans denouncing the law and condemning perceived government corruption.
Amid these protests, Zelensky acknowledged public frustration, announcing plans for a new bill to parliament, but without revealing its possible content. The protests represent the largest anti-government gatherings seen since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Western allies of Ukraine have also reacted negatively to the legislation, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen seeking explanations from the Ukrainian government. Critics of the law argue that it could severely weaken NABU and SAP, both of which are pivotal for Ukraine's fight against corruption and its aspirations for closer ties with the European Union.
While Zelensky insists that the changes are necessary to address inefficiencies and alleged connections to Russian influence within the agencies, many citizens view the move as a regression to the corruption that characterized Ukraine's previous regime under pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.
Public sentiment has been vocal and passionate, with protest signs reading "Corruption lives – the future dies" and calls for rescue from what many perceive as a fading commitment to anti-corruption efforts and democratic values. The concerns are underpinned by Ukraine’s low ranking on international corruption indexes, which, despite improvements since the establishment of NABU and SAP, still places the country at 105 out of 180.
Opposition to the law is not limited to the streets, as leading European officials have voiced their concerns. Germany’s foreign minister pointed to the potential negative impact on Ukraine's EU accession progress, while France's European affairs minister called for a reversal of the decision.
Despite ongoing martial law prohibiting mass gatherings, many Ukrainians remain determined to protest, viewing the new law as a violation of their fight for transparency and governance, even as the ongoing war with Russia casts a shadow over daily life and political stability in the country.
As the third round of Ukraine-Russia talks got underway in Istanbul, the public’s fervent focus on domestic corruption issues is clear, raising alarms that grappling with internal challenges may prove as critical as the external conflict with Russia. "This is government lawlessness," lamented a protestor in Lviv, highlighting the growing discontent with the administration's recent actions.
