"Independent institutions for independent country": protests in Odesa, Lviv, Kharkiv and other cities against bill curbing NABU and SAPO. PHOTOS
On the evening of Wednesday, July 30, ahead of the Verkhovna Rada vote on presidential bill No. 13533, which restores the powers of NABU and SAPO, people in several Ukrainian cities staged protests.
This is reported by Suspilne TV channel, Censor.NET informs.
Rallies in support of the anti-corruption agencies have already taken place or are ongoing in Khmelnytskyi, Lviv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Rivne, Cherkasy, Odesa, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lutsk, Kharkiv, and Kyiv.
Protesters held signs reading: "We stand for democracy," "Hands off NABU," "Independent institutions for an independent country," "The people are Ukraine’s power," "NABU and SAPO are not for your schemes," and "Corruption lives — the future dies," among others.
Odesa
Odesa
Odesa
Lviv
Lviv
Khmelnytskyi
Khmelnytskyi
Zaporizhzhia
Zaporizhzhia
Kharkiv
Kharkiv
Dnipro
Dnipro
Rivne
Scandalous law No. 12414 on NABU and SAPO
On 22 July, the Verkhovna Rada passed draft law 12414, which eliminates the independence of the NABU and the SAPO.
In the evening, it was signed by President Zelenskyy.
NABU Director Semen Kryvonos called on 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.
Zelenskyy also said that he would submit a bill to the Verkhovna Rada that would "ensure the strength of the law enforcement system".
On 24 July, the Rada registered draft law No. 13531, which would abolish the elimination of independence of the NABU and the SAPO.
Later, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved a draft law that guarantees the independence of the anti-corruption agencies.
The Rada will consider Zelenskyy's draft law on 31 July 2025.
