Rada committee advances bill to restore NABU and SAPO independence
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What happened
A law signed on 2026-07-22 reduced the operational independence of Ukraine's key anti-corruption institutions, NABU and SAPO. Public backlash followed, and by the end of July the Verkhovna Rada's профильний committee advanced a corrective draft aimed at restoring those powers, establishing a concrete legislative mechanism for reversal and a clear path to a consequential floor vote.
Why it matters
Anti-corruption institutions are a core benchmark for Ukraine's democratic resilience and for external financial and political support during wartime. A rapid reversal could limit reputational damage with donors and calm domestic criticism; failure or dilution would raise questions about concentration of power, rule-of-law backsliding, and the reliability of reform commitments under emergency conditions.
Ukraine's domestic political system is managing a fast-building backlash after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a 22 July law that curtailed the institutional independence of NABU and SAPO. In the last week of July, the Verkhovna Rada's lead committee moved a corrective bill forward under pressure from civil society, parliamentary actors, and external partners, creating a near-term decision point around a full parliamentary vote. The issue has evolved from a legal amendment into a test of wartime legitimacy, elite discipline, and reform credibility with donors. The next 24-72 hours matter because the presidential camp must now choose whether to accelerate reversal, control amendments, or absorb further political cost.
Watch for
Verkhovna Rada publication of a plenary agenda for 2026-08-01 or 2026-08-02 that includes the NABU/SAPO corrective bill for first or final reading Holos faction and European Solidarity faction disclosure of declared vote counts on the NABU/SAPO corrective bill by 2026-08-02 EU Delegation to Ukraine or G7 Ambassadors statement by 2026-08-02 explicitly backing the registered corrective text or warning against amendments that preserve presidential leverage NABU and SAPO confirmation by 2026-08-03 that the corrective bill restores independent investigative and prosecutorial authorities without interim subordination changes
Sources
- rada.gov.ua
- kyivindependent.com
- Українська правда - новини · pravda.com.ua
- dw.com
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