Ukraine's parliament on Thursday, July 31, voted in favor of a bill to replace a law that curbed the powers of anti-graft bodies and sparked the largest public rallies since Russia invaded more than three years ago. A live feed from parliament showed lawmakers voting for the bill, which was approved in advance by the anti-corruption bodies and provides for regular lie detector tests for anti-graft officials.
Kyiv's European allies had been worried that the law would undermine anti-corruption reforms key to Ukraine's bid to join the EU, but supported the new amendments. The head of the Ukrainian president's office, Andriy Yermak, welcomed parliament's decision and praised Ukrainians who had protested the previous version of the law.
"Everyone is a winner, but first and foremost, democratic Ukraine is the winner," he wrote on social media. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said the new law "removes the risk of interference in the work of anti-corruption bodies and strengthens the entire law enforcement system."
"This is a clear response to the expectations of society and our European partners," Svyrydenko wrote in a statement.
Dozens of demonstrators gathered ahead of the vote near the parliament building and the presidential palace to urge lawmakers to back the new bill. It is expected to be signed speedily by President Volodymyr Zelensky, the final stage of the process.
The earlier law had put the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) under the direct authority of the prosecutor general, who is appointed by the president. Critics took to the streets in protracted protests, fearing the move could facilitate presidential interference in corruption probes.