Verkhovna Rada Passes Draft Law No. 13533. We Urge the President to Sign It Without Delay

Today, the Verkhovna Rada voted in favor of Draft Law No. 13533, submitted by the President, which restores the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption infrastructure, primarily the NABU and the SAPO. The law addresses most of the risks that emerged following the adoption of Law No. 4555-IX, which had opened the door to political interference in investigations.

331 Members of Parliament voted in favor.

The newly adopted Draft Law No. 13533:

• Restores NABU’s exclusive jurisdiction — Other law enforcement agencies may investigate NABU cases only under exceptional martial law circumstances and solely by decision of the SAPO Head or the Prosecutor General.
• Limits the powers of the Prosecutor General’s Office — The Prosecutor General will no longer be able to interfere in NABU investigations or demand case files. NABU detectives will be accountable only to SAPO prosecutors.
• Ensures SAPO’s autonomy — The Head of SAPO will independently lead the prosecution office, without interference from the Prosecutor General or their deputies.
• Reinstates SAPO’s procedural powers — Restores the SAPO Head’s authority to approve investigation extensions, issue notices of suspicion to top officials, and conduct urgent searches in exceptional cases.
• Abolishes the “single window” for case closure — The Prosecutor General will no longer have the sole authority to close high-profile cases without SAPO’s involvement.

We call on the President to sign this law as soon as possible to fully restore the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption system and reaffirm the country’s commitment to good governance and the rule of law.

This step sends a strong signal to both Ukrainian society and international partners that anti-corruption reform in Ukraine is not being rolled back.