Zelenskyy signs law that subordinates anti-corruption bodies to Prosecutor General, it came into force on July 23

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law that grants the Prosecutor General powers in the cases of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), in particular, it gives the Prosecutor General access to all NABU cases and the authority to independently sign suspicions against all top officials, this law came into force on July 23. This is stated on the website of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

In particular, it is noted that the relevant bill No. 12414 "On Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine Regarding the Peculiarities of Pre-Trial Investigation of Criminal Offenses Related to the Disappearance of Persons Missing in Special Circumstances under Martial Law", adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on July 22, was returned with the President's signature on the same day.

The press service of the Verkhovna Rada Apparatus reported that on the same day, July 22, the law was officially published in the parliamentary newspaper Holos Ukrainy, which means that it will come into force on July 23.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on July 22, the Verkhovna Rada adopted in the second reading draft law No. 12414 with amendments that give the Prosecutor General access to all NABU cases and the authority to independently sign suspicions against all top officials.

NABU and SAPO asked Zelenskyy to veto the bill, which effectively subordinates NABU and SAPO to the Prosecutor General and which, according to their statement, destroys the independence of both institutions and is the end of the independent work of the two anti-corruption institutions.

On July 22, protests were held in Kyiv, Dnipro, Odesa and Lviv against the adoption of the bill on NABU and SAPO with a demand for Zelenskyy to veto it.

In a nighttime video address, Zelenskyy commented on the resonant situation surrounding the adopted law that limits the independence of the NABU and SAPO, and explained his actions by the need to rid anti-corruption bodies of "russian influences." At the same time, Zelenskyy stated that the anti-corruption infrastructure will work, only without russian influences.