Kyiv Receives EU Warning on Consequences of Undermining Anti-Corruption Agencies
The European Union has informed Kyiv through diplomatic channels of the risks that may arise if parliament does not support the complete repeal of the provisions of draft law 12414, The Gaze reports, citing European Pravda.
At the center of the situation is a controversial law adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on July 22, which significantly reshapes the authority and autonomy of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO).
European officials are preparing for the possibility that during the vote in the Parliament of Ukraine on July 31, deputies will not adopt bills that fully restore the independence of NABU and SAPO, or will make incomplete amendments to them. Because of this, EU representatives have informed the Svyrydenko government through diplomatic channels that all financial assistance to Ukraine will be suspended until the situation is resolved.
“If the law is not passed, loans from Russian assets under the ERA program will be suspended, and we will simply stop providing them. Funding from the EBRD and EIB will also be suspended,” said the EU representative.
According to the European Pravda, there are no plans to freeze payments under the Ukraine Facility program that provides macro-financial assistance to Ukraine. Nevertheless, although these funds are not subject to possible freezing, they will already be received in smaller amounts than planned.
As The Gaze informed earlier, the EU will reduce Ukraine’s fourth tranche under the Ukraine Facility from the planned €4.5 billion to €3.05 billion because only 13 of 16 required reforms have been completed.
The EU has also begun to emphasize the need for reforms, in particular the appointment of the head of the Bureau of Economic Security, and warns Ukraine of the consequences if anti-corruption changes are not resumed.
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