Recently adopted law on NABU and SAPO undermines much of progress in fighting corruption, - Senators Shaheen and Graham
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Lindsey Graham said that the recently adopted law that makes Ukraine's anti-corruption institutions dependent on the Prosecutor General undermines much of the progress in the fight against corruption.
According to Censor.NET, this is stated in a joint statement by the senators.
"Ukraine has made enormous strides in its anti-corruption agenda since the Revolution of Dignity. Notably, this progress was made while Ukraine was fighting against Russia's aggression - which is a testament to the extraordinary will of the Ukrainian people. The Verkhovna Rada's recent passage of a law, signed by President Zelensky, we fear undermines much of that progress and goes against Ukraine's tremendous fighting spirit, as well as the expectations of Ukraine's citizenry and the international community," the senators said.
They emphasised that one of the most common arguments for ending support for Ukraine is that it was allegedly awash with corruption.
"We acknowledge that Ukraine continues to make progress on this front and we urge the government to refrain from any actions that undermine that progress," the senators said in a statement.
They emphasised that "there continues to be significant bipartisan support for Ukraine and agreement that it is in Ukraine's - and our own - to meet the expectations of its citizenry and ensure that governance structures guarantee Ukraine's economic prosperity and future U.S. investments".
Earlier it was reported that on Wednesday, 23 July, protests would be held in a number of Ukrainian cities due to the adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of Law 12414 on the actual destruction of the independence of the NABU and the SAPO.
As a reminder, in his address, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he would submit a bill to the Verkhovna Rada that would "ensure the strength of the law enforcement system".
Scandalous law No. 12414 on NABU and SAPO
As a reminder, on 22 July, the Verkhovna Rada passed Bill 12414, which eliminates the independence of the NABU and the SAPO.
In the evening, it was signed by President Zelenskyy.
NABU Director Semen Kryvonos urged the president not to sign the bill, as it would make NABU and SAPO dependent.
In Dnipro, people protested against the adoption of draft law 12414 by the Verkhovna Rada, which effectively means the elimination of the independence of the NABU and the SAPO.
A protest also began in Kyiv.
In a video address, Zelenskyy later said that the anti-corruption infrastructure in Ukraine would work. On 23 July, the law limiting the powers of the NABU and the SAPO came into force.
Later, President Zelenskyy said that on 23 July he had gathered all the heads of law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies and agreed with them to work constructively.
