On July 22, President Zelenskyy signed Law №12414 — a move that seriously undermines the independence of two key institutions in Ukraine’s anti-corruption ecosystem: the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).
This law gives sweeping powers to the Prosecutor General to:
— Take over cases from NABU,
— Assign politically sensitive investigations to other agencies,
— Replace SAPO prosecutors at will,
— Instruct NABU detectives directly,
— Close top-level corruption cases without oversight from independent bodies.
These changes contradict the spirit of the reforms millions of Ukrainians have fought for since 2014. They weaken the credibility of Ukraine’s commitment to fight corruption, a critical pillar of both our democratic development and EU integration.
Justifying this law with vague allegations about “Russian infiltration” in NABU — while voting in favor alongside MPs formerly aligned with pro-Russian parties — reveals the political hypocrisy and danger of such a step.
Our position from the Free Nation Movement:
- NABU and SAPO are not perfect, but they are essential tools for building a lawful, free Ukraine.
- They must be protected from political interference, not subordinated to the Prosecutor General’s office.
- Every rollback in anti-corruption reform delays not just our victory in the war, but also our long-term success as a democratic nation.