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Zelenskyy Revokes Anti-Corruption Agencies' Autonomy, Fueling Mass Protests
UKRAINE, JUL 24 – The law centralizes control over Ukraine's key anti-corruption bodies, sparking the largest protests since 2022 and raising concerns about EU accession and democratic backsliding, EU officials said.
- On July 17, 2025, Ukraine’s parliament approved and President Zelenskyy enacted legislation granting the prosecutor general authority over the country’s key anti-corruption bodies.
- The law followed accusations from Zelenskyy that these agencies were infiltrated by Russian agents, though independent evidence for such claims remains lacking and contested.
- This move triggered the first major protests since Russia's full-scale invasion, with thousands rallying in Kyiv and other cities, opposing the law as a reversal of post-2014 reforms.
- European Union Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos described the law as a significant regression, while Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko criticized the government for pushing Ukraine increasingly toward authoritarian rule amid concerns about weakening democratic institutions.
- The law has raised significant domestic and international concern about Ukraine's reform commitments, with Zelenskyy promising a new anti-corruption plan amid calls to restore agency independence to maintain EU aspirations.
574 Articles
574 Articles
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