The document, cited by Ukrainska Pravda, specifically points to the creation of a temporary parliamentary commission to investigate corruption allegations, chaired by lawmakers Serhiy Vlasenko and Maksym Buzhansky. The EU noted this initiative may interfere with the work of independent anti-corruption agencies.
“It is important that parliamentary oversight does not undermine public confidence in anticorruption institutions through unfounded public statements or exceed the limits set by the principle of separation of powers,” the European Commission said.
The report also highlights a pattern of criminal prosecutions of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) detectives by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI), which the EU says has taken on a systemic character. Although legislation passed in July to curb NABU’s independence was quickly repealed, “excessive pressure on anticorruption bodies remains a source of concern,” the commission added.
Despite these warnings, the report does not describe the government’s actions as a rollback of reforms. It notes that after the Ukrainian public and international partners expressed serious concerns, the independence of NABU and the Specialized Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) was quickly restored. A source familiar with the matter told Ukrainska Pravda that this swift response impressed EU officials.
The commission also praised NABU and SAPO for delivering tangible results, saying Ukraine’s fight against corruption is advancing both in form and in practice.