Rada adopts Zelenskyy's law on restoring NABU and SAPO independence

The Verkhovna Rada has adopted as a whole the bill submitted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on restoring the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) (No. 13533). According to the live broadcast of the Rada meeting, 331 parliamentarians voted for the relevant bill, with a minimum of 226 votes required, the Ukrainian News agency reports.

The bill contains provisions aimed at consolidating the status of the SAPO as a body that independently carries out procedural management of the investigation of crimes under the jurisdiction of the NABU.

In particular, it limits the powers of the Prosecutor General to provide instructions to NABU detectives during their pre-trial investigation of criminal proceedings under the jurisdiction of the NABU; determines that NABU detectives are obliged to carry out assignments and instructions only from the SAPO prosecutor, which are provided in writing; excludes from the powers of the Prosecutor General, his first deputy and deputies the right to give instructions to SAPO prosecutors and to perform other actions that directly relate to the exercise of SAPO prosecutors' powers.

At the same time, the draft law provides for the mandatory conduct of polygraph examinations of employees of the NABU, SAPO, the Bureau of Economic Security, the Prosecutor General's Office, the State Bureau of Investigation, and the National Police who have access to state secrets, for the purpose of committing actions in favor of the aggressor state.

Earlier, NABU, SAPO, and the Security Service of Ukraine informed about the absence of comments on project No. 13533, and the Prosecutor General's Office reported on its support for the President's legislative initiative.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, on July 24, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy submitted for approval to the Rada draft law No. 13533 on strengthening the powers of the NABU and the SAPO after several days of protests against the adoption of draft law No. 12414, which reduces the independence of anti-corruption bodies, which Zelenskyy signed, and concerns from international partners.

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk announced that the Verkhovna Rada will convene to consider the draft law on strengthening the powers of the NABU and the SAPO on July 31.