Ukraine's parliament overwhelmingly approved a bill on Thursday presented by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that restores the independence of two of the country's key anti-corruption watchdogs, reversing a contentious move last week that curbed their power and sparked protests.
Lawmakers in the Verkhovna Rada approved Zelenskyy's new proposal with 331 votes and nine abstentions on Thursday.
Zelenskyy, who signed the draft into law, said it was important that the "government listens to public opinion."
"This is a guarantee of normal, independent work of anti-corruption bodies and all law enforcement agencies of our country. The decision is right," he said in a post on Telegram.
Last week's measure to place the watchdogs — the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) — under the oversight of the prosecutor general prompted an outcry from Ukrainians, the EU and international rights groups.
It raised fears that the government could meddle in investigations and potentially shield its supporters from scrutiny.
The backlash brought street protests across the country, the first major demonstrations against the government since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022.
Though the protests did not call for Zelenskyy's removal, the controversy threatened to undermine public trust in Ukraine's leaders at a critical time, as Russia's army continues accelerating its efforts to pierce Ukraine's front-line defences and is escalating its bombardments on Ukrainian cities.
There is also uncertainty over how much additional weaponry Ukraine's Western partners can provide and how quickly.
The EU issued a sharp rebuke to last week’s anti-graft changes, with Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos calling it "a serious step back".
But on Thursday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the Ukrainian parliament restoring the watchdogs' independence was "a welcome step."
"Ukraine's rule of law and anti-corruption reforms should continue. They remain essential for Ukraine's progress on the European path. The EU will continue to support these efforts," she said in a post on X.
The Ukrainian branch of Transparency International also criticised the initial legislation, saying it weakened one of the most significant reforms since what Ukraine calls its Revolution of Dignity in 2014.
Zelenskyy said his goal had been to speed up prolonged investigations, ensure more convictions and remove Russian meddling in investigations, which he didn't detail.
He said he had taken note of the protests and decided to present a new bill to parliament, underscoring that the prosecutor general and his deputies cannot give orders to anti-graft agencies or interfere in their work.
Fighting entrenched corruption is crucial for Ukraine's aspirations to join the EU and maintain access to billions of euros of vital Western support as Russia's all-out war grinds on.
