Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reversed a controversial bill after protests and pressure from European officials. Photo / Getty Images
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reversed a controversial bill after protests and pressure from European officials. Photo / Getty Images
The Ukrainian Parliament descended into chaos today as two MPs brawled before voting to restore the independence of the country’s anti-corruption agencies.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was forced to make an embarrassing U-turn last week after Parliament pushed through a controversial bill that defanged the anti-draft authorities.
The former legislation hadremoved the autonomy of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Sapo), placing them under the control of the General Prosecutor’s Office, which is led by Zelenskyy loyalists and mistrusted by many Ukrainians.
Thousands of protesters descended on to the streets of Kyiv last week, and there was mounting pressure from top European officials, who warned that Ukraine was jeopardising its bid for European Union membership.
Protesters seen with placards, expressing their opinions against a law that strips the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office of their independence. Photo / Getty Images
Zelenskyy reversed course after the outcry in the hope of bringing to an end the largest political crisis of his presidency so far.
MPs voted 331 to 0 in favour of the new bill in Kyiv’s 450-seat legislature to restore their political independence.
The debate itself was tense, with MPs shouting at each other and two briefly throwing punches before others broke up the tussle.
Zelenskyy and his powerful chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, had claimed last week that they rushed through the original bill to counter Russian interference.
However, critics alleged the step had been designed to protect his political allies from prosecution.
Eradicating graft and shoring up the rule of law are key requirements for Kyiv to join the EU, which Ukrainians see as critical to their future as they fend off a Russian invasion.
Around 70 MPs from Zelenskyy’s ruling party had expressed doubt over the fresh bill over fears of “revenge” from the anti-corruption agencies.
Demonstrators had gathered outside the Parliament again today, demanding that MPs pass the bill and shouting “shame!” at those who originally backed it.
Zelenskyy later told Ukrainians that it was the “right decision” as it is “very important that the state listens to public opinion. That it hears its citizens”.
I want to thank all members of parliament for passing my bill – now officially a law, as I have just signed the document. The text will be published immediately.
This is a guarantee of the proper independent functioning of Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies and all law enforcement… pic.twitter.com/83SgkcoEPH
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 31, 2025
