KYIV: Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said his government had heard protesters opposing a law revoking the independence of anti-corruption agencies and had responded by proposing new legislation.
The adoption of the bill, which curbed the powers of two anti-graft bodies, triggered the biggest public protests in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion and drew criticism from Kyiv’s European allies.
“It is absolutely normal to react when people don’t want something or when they dislike something,” Zelensky said in comments released to journalists on Friday, adding it was “very important that we listened and responded adequately.”
“For me, it was very important that we listened and responded adequately,” Zelensky added.
The government has since submitted a bill aimed at restoring the independence of the anti-graft bodies – the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).
