Ukrainian vote to curb anti-corruption agencies sparks backlash

Ukraine's parliament voted Tuesday to revoke the autonomy of two anti-corruption agencies, a move that critics say will allow government meddling in high-profile graft cases.

The European Union called the decision a "serious step back", while Ukrainian opposition politicians accused the bill's backers of consolidating power in the hands of the presidency.

Hundreds of people gathered in central Kyiv to protest the vote — a rare occurence since Russia's 2022 invasion — with many calling on President Volodymyr Zelensky to veto the draft law.

Lawmakers voted 263 to 13 to approve the move, the majority of those in favour being from Zelensky's ruling party.

The bill would place the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) under the direct authority of the prosecutor general, who is appointed by Zelensky.

NABU investigates instances of corruption among state institutions while the SAPO prosecutes corruption.

The Anti-Corruption Action Center, an NGO, said the law would essentially make the agencies meaningless as Zelensky's prosecutor general would "stop investigations into all of the president's friends".