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EU Welcomes Zelenskyy’s New Anti-Corruption Plans, Urges Ukraine to Address Concerns
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![Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk]( "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
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The European Commission has responded cautiously to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s announcement of a new approach to anti-corruption reforms. While welcoming the initiative, the Commission expressed ongoing concerns about the recently passed anti-corruption law, as was reported on July 24.
In a conversation with Zelenskyy on Wednesday, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen conveyed the bloc’s serious worries over the law, emphasizing its crucial importance for Ukraine’s future EU accession, The Guardian reported.
A Commission spokesperson explained, “I cannot give you the exact details of what, when, how and what time [was discussed]. What matters is the message that was indeed passed, a message where we expressed our concern, our worries, about the steps that had been taken in the meantime.”
“Indeed, we understand that the Ukrainian authorities have taken a new approach, [to] propose a new action plan or law. We welcome the fact that the Ukrainian government is taking action, and we work with them to make sure that our concerns, which have been clearly explained yesterday and day before yesterday, are indeed taken into account,” the spokesperson added.
They also reiterated that the EU sees the fight against corruption as non-negotiable: “We expect all the candidate countries, including Ukraine, to respect fully those standards.”
The EU acknowledged Ukraine’s efforts to address the concerns raised but explicitly stated the need for real, tangible steps to ensure the independence of its anti-corruption institutions: the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP).
The EU also offered assistance to help Ukraine ensure the concerns were addressed.
Earlier, it was reported that NABU and SAP have expressed their readiness to engage in discussions and contribute to the preparation of President Zelenskyy’s proposed bill, which will guarantee the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions.
