Public radio’s longest-running daily global news program.AboutContactDonateMeet the TeamPrivacyTerms of use©2026 The World from PRXPRX is a 501(c)(3) organization recognized by the IRS: #263347402.Ukrainians protest new law weakening anti-graft agencies in the countryProtesters took to the streets of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in the first anti-government protests since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country. Ukraine has long struggled with corruption, and it’s been a significant barrier to joining the EU. The World’s Host Carolyn Beeler spoke to Andrii Borovyk, head of the corruption watchdog Transparency International Ukraine, who joined from Kyiv. UkraineJuly 25, 2025Updated: July 25, 20256:11Thousands of people protest against a law targeting anti-corruption institutions near the President’s Office in Kyiv, Ukraine, July 23, 2025.Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, this week to protest a move by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to assert more control over the agencies that investigate corruption in the government.The demonstrators shouted, “The people are the power.”Corruption has been a major issue in Ukraine for a long time, and these protests are the first against the Zelenskyy government since Russia’s full-scale invasion three years ago.Later, in a video message on Telegram, the president did say he was listening to protesters and would propose a draft law to give back more independence to the anti-corruption agencies.The World’s Host Carolyn Beeler spoke with Andrii Borovyk, the head of the corruption watchdog Transparency International Ukraine about the latest.Andrii Borovyk: This new law gives the prosecutor general of the country more control over the two institutions established over the last 10 years with the support of our Western partners: the Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, which conducts investigations, and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office.Additionally, this law also limited their independence, meaning that the general prosecutor can now see which cases they are investigating and decide whether to investigate them or refer them to another law enforcement agency. Additionally, top-level state officials can now only receive suspicions that it’s part of the criminal process from the general prosecutor, which means that the autonomy of these two institutions is now quite limited. And this autonomy is significant because only in this way can these two institutions effectively combat top-level corruption and avoid concerns about any kind of leakage or political influence.Demonstrators hold sign during a protest against a law that targets anti-corruption institutions in Lviv, Ukraine, July 23, 2025.Mykola Tys/APA man waves a flag during a protest against a law targeting anti-corruption institutions in central Kyiv, Ukraine, July 22, 2025.Alex Babenko/ APThis interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.