The McCain Institute at Arizona State University (ASU) today issued the following reaction to Ukraine’s parliament voting to undermine independent anti-corruption bodies:
“The McCain Institute stands behind Ukraine’s goals of winning the war against Russia’s unjustified and brutal invasion and building a strong, democratic state. These two goals must be pursued simultaneously, not sequentially.
“Ukraine has made enormous progress on anti-corruption and democratic reform, understanding its place in Europe is critical to its long-term peace, prosperity, and security. A just and lasting peace in Ukraine requires strong democratic institutions. Parliament’s move undercuts this progress and is a gift to Russia, which aggressively campaigns on Ukraine’s corruption to undermine Western support.
“Ukraine’s international partners need to step in and forcefully advocate to overturn this legislation and return Ukraine to the democratic path. Military support and weapons should continue, but the EU should delay technical progress on accession, and development bodies should withhold financial support until this is rectified.”
Background:
The Ukrainian parliament passed a new law today undermining Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO). The legislation grants the Prosecutor General the sole authority to determine which cases these independent anti-corruption bodies are allowed to investigate, effectively stripping them of their authority.
NABU and SAPO were established in 2015 with strong support from the international community and as a critical part of Ukraine’s European Union (EU) integration commitments. The bodies worked without fear or favor, pursuing cases in the highest levels of government, which critics are arguing is the reason for their demise.
In recent weeks, NABU and SAPO filed charges against Oleksiy Chernyshov, Vice Prime Minister, and a close associate of President Zelenskyy. NABU has also launched an investigation into Timur Mindych, a longtime friend and ally of the President, for alleged involvement in corruption schemes. And NABU, in coordination with German law enforcement, conducted searches involving Rostyslav Shurma, former Deputy Head of the Office of the President responsible for economic development.
The legislation follows increased state pressure on the institutions. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) recently conducted searches targeting NABU officers and raids on NABU and SAPO offices to gain access to sensitive data on all cases involving high level officials. The state has also pressed charges against Vitaliy Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Center (ACC), a courageous critic of corruption in the Zelenskyy government.