The protests began shortly after the Verkhovna Rada passed legislation shifting control of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office to the prosecutor general, a move critics say opens the door to political interference, reports The Guardian.
Zelensky ignored calls to veto the measure and approved the bill late Tuesday, according to reports. The law has not yet appeared on the official government website.
Opponents say the changes deal a serious blow to Ukraine’s anti-corruption reforms and will likely damage relations with European partners who have tied support to the independence of investigative bodies.
Roughly 1,500 people gathered outside the presidential administration complex, chanting “Shame” and “Veto the law” while waving banners telling Zelensky to reject the measure.
The crowd, which included students, veterans, and young activists, gathered in a park below the ornate House of Chimeras building. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and his brother Wladimir also joined the protest.
“There were protests in other large cities including Dnipro, Lviv and Odesa,” one participant, Sasha Kazintseva, said to the Guardian. “If the bill goes ahead it will make it harder for Ukraine to join the European Union. We will go back to dictatorship.”
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