The President’s Office couldn’t come up with anything better than to convene a demonstrative meeting with the heads of all law enforcement agencies, including the director of NABU and the head of SAPO.
After all, they understand – the latter two cannot ignore such a meeting in their official capacity.
Anti-Corruption action center informs that Zelenskyy’s statement following the meeting contained vague wording and an agreement to hold a “deep working meeting” in two weeks.
NABU and SAPO, on the other hand, have a clear demand – which, for some reason, the president simply ignores.
That demand is to pass a new law that repeals the devastating provisions signed into law by the president yesterday.
Hereafter, the Statement by NABU and SAPO Following the Meeting at the President’s Office:
“The legislative changes adopted the day before significantly undermine the independence of NABU and SAPO. This was emphasized by the heads of both institutions during a meeting initiated by the Office of the President.
As a result of these changes, NABU and SAPO have been stripped of the guarantees that previously enabled them to effectively fulfill their mandates in combating high-level corruption. In order to restore full and independent operations, clear and unequivocal legal steps are needed to reinstate the guarantees that were removed by Parliament.
At the same time, NABU and SAPO reaffirm their commitment to serving the interests of the Ukrainian people and continue working to preserve the professional capacity of both institutions and the results achieved over the years of their activity.
The rule of law and adherence to legal norms remain fundamental values for NABU and SAPO. We expect the same approach from other law enforcement bodies.
We sincerely thank the citizens of Ukraine for their principled stance, active support, and civic engagement. It is precisely due to this public involvement that anti-corruption reform became possible.
NABU and SAPO call on international partners to continue their comprehensive support of Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. The strength and resilience of Ukraine’s Defense Forces, the unity of Ukrainian society, and consistent international support are key factors in overcoming the aggressor and securing a European future for our country.”
This new bill is expected to be registered in the Verkhovna Rada today.
The shameful Bill No. 12414 was registered, passed, and signed by the president within 24 hours.
So the question is: will the MPs and the President act just as swiftly to restore the pro-European norms?
Also, neither the Security Service (SBU) nor the President have explained what long-past NABU-related traffic accident cases have to do with any of this.
Nor have they justified why the SBU assaulted NABU employees – who did not resist – in the first place.
The conclusion is simple: we continue to stand our ground and demand a law that rolls back the changes signed by the president yesterday – changes that effectively dismantle NABU and SAPO.
Only then can Ukraine return to real steps toward European integration and reform.
