Draft law on SAPO independence passes committee amid G7 calls to cancel Lozovyi amendments

The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Law Enforcement considered a draft law on strengthening the independence of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (No. 10060) and recommended that the parliament adopt it in the second reading and in general, the parliament reported on December 6, UNN reported.

Details

During the consideration of the above issue, the Minister of Justice of Ukraine Denys Malyuska reportedly stated that "the government and the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine fully support the decision of the subcommittee on the activities of the prosecutor's office regarding draft law No. 10060. Adoption of the draft law in the second reading, in the wording proposed by the subcommittee, will be an achievement for Ukraine and fulfillment of obligations to the International Monetary Fund and the EU in the framework of microfinance assistance, which will open up funding for Ukraine."

"The decision is to recommend that the draft law be adopted in the second reading and as a whole as a law," the parliament said.

Addendum

Before the committee meeting, on December 5, G7 ambassadors indicated that they "are closely following the SAPO reform". "In order to strengthen anti-corruption efforts, we recommend that the current draft be used as a basis and the Lozovyi amendments be repealed, that the jurisdiction of the SAPO/NABU be protected, and that the SAPO be allowed to request extradition + initiate investigations against MPs," the G7 ambassadors said in a statement on X.

After the committee meeting, representatives of civil society pointed out that the draft law was passed without the complete abolition of the Lozovyi amendments.