Amid protests, Zelensky restores independence of anti-corruption bodies

Amid the ongoing protests in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky has submitted a new bill on anti-corruption bodies to the Verkhovna Rada, promising that the document will ensure the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. Both agencies have already stated that the bill will restore guarantees of their independence.

“I have agreed on the text of the bill, which guarantees the real strengthening of the law enforcement system in Ukraine, the independence of anti-corruption bodies, as well as reliable protection of the law enforcement system from any Russian influence or interference. The text is balanced,” the Ukrainian president wrote on Telegram.

“It is important that we respect the position of all Ukrainians,” Zelensky noted.

Earlier, Zelensky signed a controversial draft law on anti-corruption bodies, which limited the independence of the aforementioned structures, which raised a wave of public protest.