Rada restores independence of NABU and SAPO
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- Mariia Khamitsevych
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13:45, 31 July, 2025
Screenshot from the broadcast of the Verkhovna Rada session on 31 JulyOn 31 July, the Verkhovna Rada passed a law restoring the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office.
This was reported in the broadcast of the TV channel «Rada».
331 MPs voted «in favour of». None «against» or abstained. The law was supported by representatives of all parliamentary factions and groups.
According to the document, the SAPO will once again be in charge of NABU investigations without the intervention of the Prosecutor General.
- It also restores the provision that makes it impossible for the Prosecutor General to change the jurisdiction of NABU cases without the consent of the head of the SAPO.
- The document also introduces new provisions aimed at strengthening checks on NABU detectives and other law enforcement officers for possible ties to the Russian Federation.
- Thus, detectives of the bureau who have access to state secrets must undergo a polygraph test every two years.
Late in the evening of 22 July, it became known that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had signed Law №12414, which allows the Prosecutor General to control the anti-corruption agencies NABU and SAPO.
This decision caused massive outrage among the people. After the Verkhovna Rada voted for the law, protests were held in Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Dnipro and Sumy, demanding that it be vetoed. On 23 July, residents of Mykolaiv came out to protest.
The European Union warned Ukraine of a possible suspension of financial support if the Verkhovna Rada does not repeal the provisions of draft law No. 12414 that restrict the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he had already agreed on the text of a new draft law that would «strengthen» the independence of anti-corruption bodies and that he would submit it to the Verkhovna Rada on 24 July.
Subsequently, after President Zelenskyy submitted his draft law on the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, four alternative draft laws were registered in the Verkhovna Rada .
It should be noted that the parliament will consider the presidential draft law on restoring the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) on 31 July.
Searches at NABU and SAPO
On 21 July, officers of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Prosecutor General's Office began conducting searches of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau in several regions of Ukraine. As explained, the investigative actions were part of a special operation to neutralise Russian influence on the NABU. They noted that the suspicions relate, among other things, to high treason, illegal trade with Russia and corrupt actions in the interests of oligarchs.
Later, the SSU detained Ruslan Magamedrasulov, one of the heads of the NABU's interregional detective department. He is suspected of doing business with Russia and aiding the aggressor state.
Responding to this, the NABU called the searches unreasonable and likely to harm the investigation. In most cases, according to the anti-corruption agency, investigative actions were carried out without court orders. The security forces cited, among other things, the involvement of some NABU employees in road accidents as grounds. The Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office also reported a similar inspection. They stressed that such visits contradicted established legal procedures.
According to the prosecutor's office, during the inspection, SSU officers gained access to information about all covert and operational activities carried out by the SAPO and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau. This happened when the leadership of both institutions was on a business trip abroad.
Later, it became known that the State Bureau of Investigation had served three employees of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine with suspicion notices in connection with their involvement in road accidents that resulted in injuries.
Following the NABU's accusations, the Security Service of Ukraine stated that it did not have access to covert investigations conducted by the NABU and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office. This accusation was called groundless and manipulative. The Security Service of Ukraine also detained an employee of the closed unit of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine «D-2», who is suspected of working for the FSB.
The next day, on 22 July, the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Law Enforcement supported amendments to the CPC that could make the NABU and the SAPO dependent on the decisions of the Prosecutor General. It was supported by 263 MPs at the Rada meeting.
This decision was also supported by all MPs from Mykolaiv.
