On July 22, 2025, the President of Ukraine signed Draft Law No. 12414 into law – undermining the independence of key anti-corruption institutions, jeopardizing Ukraine’s path toward European integration, and endangering continued political and economic support from international partners.

‍

Adopted in violation of parliamentary procedure and rushed through signature and publication within hours, this law severely damages public trust, reverses years of progress in establishing independent anti-corruption institutions, and undermines reforms achieved since the Revolution of Dignity. This setback is especially dangerous in the context of Ukraine’s recovery, where the effective and independent functioning of anti-corruption bodies is essential to ensuring transparent and accountable reconstruction.

‍

What the Draft Law No. 12414 or Law 4555-ІХ does:

• Grants the Prosecutor General de facto control over the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), eliminating its procedural independence;

• Gives the Prosecutor General unilateral power to close criminal proceedings against high-ranking officials;

• Changes the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) jurisdiction of cases, allowing the Prosecutor General to reassign them at will;

• Requires NABU and SAPO to coordinate notices of suspicion to high-ranking officials with the Prosecutor General’s Office, undermining the independence and efficiency of investigations;

• Makes instructions from the Prosecutor General in NABU and SAPO cases mandatory, directly violating the principle of investigative autonomy.

‍

This law is a blatant breach of Ukraine’s commitments to the IMF, the European Union, and other key international allies. Ukraine’s authorities fulfilled their obligations, secured financial support, and are now dismantling the very reforms it promised to uphold.

‍

The adopted law also undermines the efforts of thousands of Ukrainians working toward the opening of Negotiating Cluster 1 “Fundamentals,” where the independence of anti-corruption institutions is a core requirement. As such, it poses a direct threat to Ukraine’s progress toward European integration. In parallel, Ukraine is pursuing accession to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), including joining the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and participating in the OECD Working Group on Bribery. A key standard in this process is the genuine independence of anti-corruption institutions. Any rollback in this area would not only breach Ukraine’s commitments to the OECD but could also become a serious obstacle to continued progress on this front.

‍

In a time of war – when Ukraine is fighting for its existence, sovereignty, and democratic future – defending the rule of law and reinforcing anti-corruption institutions are not optional. They are vital to our national resilience, to defeating Russian aggression, and to building a just and prosperous future.

‍

We call on the President of Ukraine to immediately initiate, and on the Parliament to support, a draft law repealing the provisions of Law No. 4555-IX of July 22, 2025. This is essential to safeguard the independence of SAPO and NABU—an obligation Ukraine undertook before its citizens and international partners. Repealing this law will allow Ukraine to resume negotiations with the European Union on opening Cluster 1 “Fundamentals” as part of the accession process.

‍

A strong, democratic Ukraine — with a capable army and independent anti-corruption institutions — is not only key to victory and recovery, but also the foundation of Ukraine’s long-term prosperity and stability in Europe.