Anti-corruption law protests reflect another Ukraine — Ukrainian MP

Ukrainian MP Volodymyr Viatrovych shared his opinions on Espreso TV.

"There are 263 names of people who not only failed to do their job, but deliberately did harmful work. Now they are offering some kind of apology, but I don't believe that anyone didn't understand what they were doing. The whole process of passing this law was extremely rushed, yet that should have alerted the MPs who suddenly decided to vote. Why does a bill appear the day before voting that shouldn’t even be considered?" Volodymyr Viatrovych noted.

He said that as of Monday, July 21, everyone was confident that on Tuesday they would meet in the session hall to vote on what the authorities called a very important appeal to the U.S. Congress and Senate.

“Why was this bill rushed through the committee without the committee chair? Why was there no discussion in the chamber, while opposition representatives blocked the podium, saying this bill could halt our European integration? It was simply impossible not to hear these concerns in parliament. Yet these politicians decided that showing loyalty to the authorities was more important. And when people now say the protests triggered by this law are harmful to the country, I strongly disagree,” the MP emphasized.

In his opinion, these protests partially rehabilitate Ukraine as a whole. In the West, the Ukrainian government and the country are seen as one, since the government represents the entire nation in negotiations. The government made a criminal move against the state by passing this law, so it was necessary to show that there is another Ukraine.

“It’s very good that people took to the streets to show that there is another Ukraine. I’m confident this protest partially rehabilitates Ukraine. It pains and disgusts me to read the wave of misinformation deliberately spread by pro-government media, claiming that losses of one and a half billion are the result of the protests. Everything is turned upside down — it turns out the people protesting against government lawlessness are to blame, not the government that caused it,” Viatrovych concluded.

Ukraine’s anti-corruption laws: background

On July 22, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a bill passed by the Verkhovna Rada that includes provisions limiting the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), placing their activities under the authority of the Prosecutor General. The bill’s status card was updated three times: initially marked as signed by the president, then the note disappeared, and later the signature of Zelenskyy reappeared.

After the vote in the Verkhovna Rada, thousands of Ukrainians in major cities held peaceful protests, demanding that the president veto the law that significantly limits the powers of the anti-corruption agencies.

The European Union has expressed serious concern over Ukraine’s adoption of Law No. 12414, which limits the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. According to European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier, these institutions are vital for anti-corruption reforms and must operate independently to maintain public trust and support Ukraine’s EU integration.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen personally addressed President Zelenskyy, demanding an explanation and stressing that compromising the rule of law is unacceptable — especially given Ukraine’s EU candidate status. 

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos stated that weakening NABU’s independence is a “serious step backward” and could undermine Ukraine’s EU membership prospects. Representatives of France and Germany also voiced concern, urging Kyiv to revise the law and preserve institutional safeguards for these bodies’ independence.

Overall, Brussels believes the law threatens Ukraine’s institutional resilience, democratic direction, and Western support — especially in light of the ongoing war and its EU aspirations.

On July 24, it became known that members of parliament had drafted and submitted their own bill to the Verkhovna Rada aimed at restoring the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office.

On July 24, Zelenskyy approved the text of another bill aimed at strengthening the law enforcement system and guaranteeing the independence of anti-corruption agencies. Later that day, he submitted a bill to the Ukrainian Parliament to enhance the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. The agencies reported their involvement in the bill’s development, stating it restores all procedural powers and guarantees.