Ukrainian lawmakers vote for a new bill proposed by President Volodymyr Zelensky to restore the independence of the country's anti-corruption agencies, at the parliament session hall in Kyiv, Ukraine, July 31, 2025. SARAKHAN VADYM / AP
Ukraine's parliament on Thursday, July 31, voted in favor of a bill to replace a law that curbed the powers of anti-graft bodies and sparked the largest public rallies since Russia invaded more than three years ago. A live feed from parliament showed lawmakers voting for the bill, which was approved in advance by the anti-corruption bodies and provides for regular lie detector tests for anti-graft officials.
"I have just signed the document, and the text will be published immediately. This guarantees the normal, independent work of anti-corruption bodies and all law enforcement agencies in our country," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Kyiv's European allies had been worried that the law would undermine anti-corruption reforms key to Ukraine's bid to join the EU, but supported the new amendments. "The Rada has restored key safeguards," European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier told reporters. "In our view, the new law addresses the key challenges of NABU and SAPO independence," he said in reference to Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO).
