The Verkhovna Rada passed in the second reading a law on the specifics of pre-trial investigation of criminal offenses related to the disappearance of persons under special circumstances in conditions of martial law, which, according to people’s deputies, “effectively liquidates NABU and SAP.”
This was reported by Yaroslav Zheleznyak, a member of parliament from the Voice parliamentary faction, on Telegram, according to Ukrinform.
The legislative initiative was supported by 263 votes of members of parliament.
246 parliamentarians supported the urgent signing of the legislative initiative.
As reported by Ukrinform, earlier on July 22, MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak announced on Telegram that bill 12414 on the specifics of pre-trial investigation of criminal offenses related to the disappearance of persons under special circumstances in conditions of martial law had been added to the agenda of the parliamentary session.
The head of the Verkhovna Rada’s anti-corruption committee, Anastasia Radina, emphasized on Facebook that amendments had been added to bill No. 12414 that “make the SAP (Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine) a decorative institution and provide for the complete dependence of the NABU and SAP (National Anti-Corruption Bureau) on the will of the prosecutor general.”
For their part, NABU and SAP issued an official statement on bill No. 12414, calling on MPs to refrain from voting, which “could finally destroy the independence of the anti-corruption system in Ukraine.”
The agencies reminded that today the Verkhovna Rada may adopt in the second reading draft law No. 12414, to which amendments were made at the last minute that effectively destroy the independence of the SAP and subordinate the activities of the NABU and SAP to the Prosecutor General. If this bill is adopted, the head of the SAP will become a nominal figure, and the NABU will lose its independence and become a subdivision of the Prosecutor General’s Office, the statement said.
The day before, the Security Service of Ukraine and the Office of the Prosecutor General conducted at least 70 searches of employees of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau. In the vast majority of cases, the reasons for the searches are said to be the involvement of individuals in traffic accidents, but some employees are accused of possible ties to the aggressor country.
The ambassadors of the G7 countries expressed concern over the SSU’s investigation into the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, during which a suspect with ties to Russia was exposed.
Illustrative photo: Facebook/Ruslan Stefanchuk
Source: Verkhovna Rada passes controversial law reducing NABU and SAP powers
