Ukraine's Western partners criticized the new Ukrainian law that limits the independence of anti-corruption bodies.
Thus, European Commission spokesman Guillaume Mercier, in a statement received by UNIAN, said that they are"very concerned" about the recent changes in Ukraine, which risk"significantly weakening the competences and powers of anti-corruption institutions", which are"crucial to Ukraine's reform agenda".
"The President of the European Commission has been in contact with President Zelensky regarding these latest developments. President von der Leyen has expressed her serious concerns about the implications of the changes and has asked the Ukrainian government to provide explanations. Respect for the rule of law and the fight against corruption are key elements of the European Union. As a candidate country, Ukraine is expected to fully comply with these standards. There can be no compromise," the statement said.
Ambassadors from the Group of Seven (G7) countries also expressed their concerns.
"The G7 is closely following today's events at NABU, including the investigation into several NABU employees for alleged crimes. We have serious concerns and intend to discuss these events with the leadership of the [Ukrainian] government," the statement said. statement groups.
Statements from a number of individual countries are cited by"Radio Liberty".
"Limiting the independence of Ukrainian anti-corruption bodies complicates Ukraine's path to the EU. I expect Ukraine to consistently continue the fight against corruption," said German Foreign Minister Johann Wadeful.
His Czech counterpart, Jan Lipavsky, said that Prague is closely monitoring how Ukraine is addressing the corruption problem. He stressed that Western support for Ukraine does not mean that Europe is guaranteed to support any decisions made by the Ukrainian authorities.
"I reminded [Ukrainian Foreign Minister] Andriy Sybiza of this today," Lipavsky added.
The Swedish Foreign Ministry also voiced its"serious concerns" about the new Ukrainian law.
"Ukraine has made important progress in the fight against corruption over the past decade - it is critically important to continue this course," they said.
The vital importance of anti-corruption institutions for Ukraine's future was also stated by Dutch Foreign Minister Kaspar Veldkamp. He warned that limiting the independence of these bodies would be a"significant step backwards" on the path of Ukrainian reforms.
"Protecting the independence of these institutions and further progress in the rule of law remain key to Ukraine's EU accession process," he wrote on platform X.
French Minister for European Affairs Benjamin Haddad said that the best solution for Ukraine now would be to cancel the scandalous decision that sparked the first major protests in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war. In an interview with radio France Inter He pointed out that"it is not too late for Ukrainians to return."
"When you are a candidate for the EU, this entails requirements for fighting corruption, maintaining the rule of law, respect for minorities, political opposition, or the independence of the judiciary. Therefore, we will be extremely vigilant in this matter," he added.
Law on Restricting the Independence of NABU and SAPO
As UNIAN wrote, the Verkhovna Rada was in emergency mode the day before adopted law No. 12414, and the president swiftly signed it into law the same day. Key provisions of this law give the Prosecutor General’s Office the authority to take over investigated cases from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) and to give instructions to representatives of these anti-corruption bodies.
This decision by the parliament and the president caused a wave of indignation in Ukraine, in particular, the first more or less large-scale protests since the beginning of the war took place in a number of cities. The law was also criticized by a non-governmental organization Transparency International Ukraine, which fights corruption.
