Anti-corruption agencies in Ukraine have issued a statement warning that Bill No. 12414, now on the agenda of the Verkhovna Rada, poses a direct threat to the independence of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU). The proposed amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code could undermine the agencies’ ability to operate without political interference.
According to the statement released by the anti-corruption bodies, the bill would potentially enable political entities to exert greater control over the operations of SAPO and NABU, which are tasked with investigating and prosecuting high-level corruption cases. This could lead to a scenario where the agencies are no longer able to act independently, potentially undermining Ukraine’s efforts to combat systemic corruption.
Officials from both SAPO and NABU have expressed their opposition to the proposed changes, citing concerns about the integrity of the justice system. They argue that any attempt to curtail the independence of these institutions could lead to a decline in the effectiveness of anti-corruption measures and a loss of public trust in the legal system.