This was reported during the Rada's live session.The bill passed under a fast-track procedure. In the first reading, 330 MPs supported it. In total, 331 lawmakers voted.According to the explanatory note, bill No. 13533 is meant to reinforce the institutional independence of NABU and SAPO and protect their work from Russian interference. The bill aims to build public and international trust in Ukraine’s anti-corruption system by ensuring its independence, boosting efficiency, and upholding the principle of inevitable punishment.The draft law also includes measures to confirm the SAPO as an independent authority in overseeing investigations under NABU’s jurisdiction.“At the same time, the draft law introduces mechanisms to block intelligence and sabotage attempts by foreign agencies targeting anti-corruption officials. It proposes new preventive and counterintelligence tools to shield these bodies from the influence of an aggressor state,” the note states.BackgroundOn July 22, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed into law a bill previously passed by Parliament that curtails the powers of NABU and SAPO, effectively placing them under the authority of the Prosecutor General. The legislative process was marked by confusion: the presidential signature appeared, disappeared, and then reappeared on the official record of the bill, No. 12414.Following the vote, thousands of Ukrainians staged peaceful demonstrations in major cities, demanding that Zelenskyy veto the law, which they say seriously undermines Ukraine’s anti-corruption infrastructure.The European Union also raised alarm. EU spokesperson Guillaume Mercier called the law a setback, stressing that NABU and SAPO are vital to anti-corruption reforms and must operate independently to maintain public trust and move Ukraine closer to EU membership.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen personally urged Zelenskyy to provide explanations, stating that compromising on the rule of law is unacceptable, especially given Ukraine’s EU candidacy. Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos called the move a “serious step backward” and warned it could harm Ukraine’s accession prospects. French and German officials also voiced concern, urging Kyiv to revise the law and preserve institutional independence.On July 24, Ukrainian lawmakers registered a new bill aimed at restoring the autonomy of NABU and SAPO. That same day, President Zelenskyy approved the text of a separate draft law, which he submitted to Parliament, pledging to reinforce law enforcement and guarantee the agencies’ independence. Both NABU and SAPO confirmed they had participated in crafting the bill, which restores their procedural powers and legal protections.The bill has already received support from Parliament’s anti-corruption and law enforcement committees.