"Government attacks anti-corruption bodies", "Zelensky tightens control": world media headlines on scandalous law against NABU
After Ukraine had adopted the scandalous law on the elimination of the powers of the NABU and the SAPO, a number of world media outlets published headlines criticising the Ukrainian authorities.
This was written by the AutoMaidan community, Censor.NET reports.
It reminds that Ukraine is once again in international headlines - and this time not for good reasons. The international media are already talking directly about frustration, pressure on anti-corruption agencies and the risks of rolling back reforms.
"And the headlines speak for themselves: 'The government attacks anti-corruption bodies', 'Zelenskyy tightens control', 'Ukraine curbs autonomy of anti-corruption agencies', 'EU: a serious step back', 'Thousands of Ukrainians protest against the new law'," AutoMaidan lists the headlines from well-known media.
It is also noted that these headlines are seen in Brussels, Washington and Berlin. They are read by those who determine whether Ukraine will receive the next aid, and by taxpayers on whom our support during the war depends.
"And they do not see a country that is committed to reforms and the EU, but a country where the anti-corruption system is being destroyed. We risk losing not only our reputation, but also our support, which is essential in times of war. We risk stopping the process of European integration, which we have been striving for for so long, because independent NABU and SAPO, among other things, are a clear condition for our path to the EU.
But the most important thing is that strong and independent institutions are not needed by anyone in the European Union. We need them. We need them to have a chance for the future. All the provisions of the law that harm the anti-corruption reform must be cancelled, and the pressure on independent bodies must be stopped," summarises AutoMaidan.
On 22 July, the Verkhovna Rada adopted bill 12414, which eliminates the independence of the NABU and the SAPO.
In the evening, President Zelenskyy signed it.
NACB Director Semen Kryvonos urged the president not to sign the bill, as it would put NACB and SAPO in a dependent mode.
In Dnipro, people rallied against the adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of Bill 12414, which effectively eliminates the independence of the NACB and the SAPO.
A protest also started in Kyiv.
In a video address, Zelenskyy later said that Ukraine's anti-corruption infrastructure would work. On July 23, the Law on limiting the powers of the NABU and the SAPO came into force.
