Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda on Thursday welcomed Ukraine’s adoption of a new anti-corruption law, passed at the initiative of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The legislation reverses earlier amendments that curtailed the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), placing them under the control of the prosecutor general, an official appointed by the president.
“Congratulations to the President of Ukraine and the Verkhovna Rada on the adoption of the new anti-corruption law today. The law guarantees the independence of NABU & SAPO and empowers these agencies to operate effectively. It is a truly important step –and the right thing to do. It is a victory in the fight against corruption,” Nausėda wrote on X.
European allies had voiced concern that the previous version of the law, passed on July 22, risked rolling back critical reforms central to Ukraine’s ambitions of joining the European Union.
The controversial earlier amendments triggered the largest public protests in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. In response, Zelensky withdrew the initial draft and pledged broader consultation before enacting further changes.
The EU said on Thursday that the new legislation addressed key concerns regarding the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies.
Transparency International currently ranks Ukraine 105th out of 180 countries in its 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index – a notable improvement from 144th place in 2013.
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