Loophole: Parliament has gone on summer break

Ukraine

Zelensky's loophole: Can change before the new law

Olivia Birgander

Updated 11.40 | Published 09.55

 

Thousands of Ukrainians have taken to the streets to protest against a newly introduced law in the country. Photo: Alex Babenko / AP

Zelensky has presented a bill to minimize the risk of corruption - after a newly introduced law has aroused massive criticism around Ukraine.

But parliament is on summer break - which creates a loophole to still use the law.

- That's why people have taken to the streets, says Ukraine expert Fredrik Wesslau.

Quick version

• Zelensky has presented a new bill to guarantee the independence of anti-corruption agencies, after massive criticism of a recently introduced law.
• Protests have arisen because the new law weakens the independence of the authorities and undermines the fight against corruption, which could affect Ukraine's EU membership process.
• With parliament closed for the summer, there is a risk that the old law will be exploited, which could be used as a tool of power in political investigations in the ongoing war.

In the past week, thousands of Ukrainians around the country have taken to the streets and protested against a newly introduced law that means that Ukraina's National Anti-Corruption Bureau, Nabu, and the Special Prosecutor's Office against Corruption, Sapo, lose their independence. Instead, the authorities are under the Prosecutor General, who is in turn appointed by the president.

- Many saw the law of July 22 as a betrayal and as a step back from the process of becoming an EU member, says Fredrik Wesslau at the Center for East European Studies at the Institute of Foreign Affairs.

After the law met with massive criticism, the president presented a new bill that he believes guarantees the independence of the authorities. But it has not been able to be voted through yet – because parliament has just closed for the summer.

– The new bill restores the independence of these two bodies. Civil society in Ukraine has been positive about the new bill. What needs to happen now is for the parliament to be recalled as soon as possible in order to adopt it.

 

Volodymyr Zelenskyj has now submitted a new bill. Photo: Henning Bagger / AP

Criticism: Corruption kills

While only the law that undermines the authorities is in force, there is a risk that the law will be exploited.

– The authorities must be restored to independence as soon as possible. Ultimately, it is about political control over investigations, which can be used as a means of power. This is seen in many former Soviet states, where preliminary investigations are used as a kind of pressure tool.

For example, it could be about closing down investigations against political allies. In Ukraine, corruption is particularly sensitive because of the ongoing war.

– It is because corruption kills, that is a slogan you usually hear. Corruption in practice means that soldiers at the front receive less ammunition, weapons and body armor, says Wesslau and continues:

– Then I also think that Ukrainian society has changed a lot in the last three years. They are fighting for Ukraine's existence as a state but also to be part of the West, as members of both the EU and NATO. Then Ukrainians want Ukraine to be free from corruption.

This is the first time since the war started that there have been extensive demonstrations against Zelensky. "It is important that we preserve unity," the president wrote on Telegram on Thursday.

– This unity in particular has been very remarkable but also very important for Ukraine. The law risks dividing society, says Fredrik Wesslau.