By strengthening his control over institutions, the Ukrainian president will avoid corruption checks.

On Tuesday, the Ukrainian parliament passed a law criticized for undermining the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP).

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Several nongovernmental organizations have voiced concerns, linking the legislation to efforts by President Volodymyr Zelensky to consolidate power.

The new law allows the activities of NABU and SAP to be overseen by the Prosecutor General — an official appointed by Zelensky — raising alarm among civil society groups and international partners.

Mass Raids on the Eve of the Vote

On Monday, the day before the law was passed, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) conducted dozens of raids targeting NABU employees, arresting two detectives on allegations of collaborating with Russia. The official explanation for the operation has failed to convince leading civil society voices and Kyiv’s international allies, many of whom have expressed concern over the SBU actions.

“‘Reality show’ in Ukraine: overnight drone and missile attacks from Russia. Early morning: Bankova [the presidential office] attacks NABU. Reportedly, the SBU is conducting a ‘special operation to hunt Russian agents,’” said Daria Kaleniuk, director of the Anti-Corruption Action Center.

Kaleniuk connected the crackdown on NABU to the recent prosecution of her colleague Vitalii Shabunin, who has been targeted by the prosecutor’s office and the State Bureau of Investigation for alleged violations of his military duties — accusations the activist and dozens of Ukrainian NGOs view as a pretext to punish him for criticizing Zelensky.

“We’ve been warning about this: the baseless attacks on Vitalii Shabunin were just the beginning. What’s next? Attempts to dismantle NABU and SAP — the only institutions capable of investigating Zelenskyy’s inner circle for corruption,” Kaleniuk added.

The Trump Factor

Criticism of Zelensky’s backsliding on democratic reform is also tied to the evolution of his relationship with former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has shown increased openness to Kyiv’s messaging.

“Zelensky has gained some favor with Trump, who values strongman leaders and is not concerned with priorities once championed by Democrats, such as the democratic renewal of their international partners,” a European diplomat stationed in Ukraine said.

Under the previous Democratic administration, institutions like NABU and NGOs such as those led by Kaleniuk and Shabunin had Washington’s backing as a safeguard against potential retaliation by Kyiv authorities.

However, the Trump White House eliminated many programs that had supported anti-corruption and rule-of-law initiatives in countries like Ukraine — and has shown little interest in defending democratic standards thousands of miles away from the United States.

G7 Condemnation

“The G7 is closely following developments at NABU, including the investigation of several of its employees for alleged crimes. We have met with NABU, are seriously concerned, and intend to raise these matters with government leaders,” the G7 ambassadors said in a joint statement posted to their shared X account used to monitor Ukraine’s reform process.

“It is more important than ever to safeguard the progress of reforms in order to maintain the support needed to prevail against the enemy,” said EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

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