Ukraine's Security Service head defends law on anti-corruption agencies: No one is abolishing them, this is a return to the Constitution

Alona Mazurenko - 22 July, 23:56

Vasyl Maliuk. Photo: Security Service of Ukraine

Vasyl Maliuk, Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, has stated that the law limiting the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) is a return to the Constitution and no one is going to abolish these institutions.

Source: Ukrinform citing Maliuk during a briefing on 22 July

Quote: "Are we living in a state governed by the rule of law? Yes, we are! The fundamental law is the Constitution! No one has abolished anything. I am neither a member of parliament nor a lawmaker. Believe me, what they voted for is a matter for the MPs. It's better to ask them. That would be the right and logical thing to do. As far as I understand, this is simply a return to the Constitution.

Both SAPO and NABU have not been abolished. They continue to exist and continue to work effectively…

But the Constitution says there is only one prosecutor general in the country. There can be no duplication or tautology. I think that's exactly what our lawmakers were guided by. This was done to strengthen the system. And possibly, I think, to ensure a certain system of checks and balances and control… To prevent a situation where an institution suddenly turns into a sort of 'monster'."

Details: Maliuk said the Security Service of Ukraine, the Office of the Prosecutor General and NABU continue to work together: "We always understand and work together with the leadership of NABU and its detectives."

He also stated that NABU might be "delighted by the fact that the prosecutor general may bring in some fresh ideas, based on his experience".

Maliuk also reiterated that the current Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko had been the prosecutor in the trial against the fugitive president Viktor Yanukovych, so Kravchenko "will share some of the finer points with them. They will use that in their work. So I wouldn't draw any negative conclusions from this."

Background:

On 22 July, the Verkhovna Rada voted at second reading for draft law No. 12414, according to which NABU and SAPO will become dependent on decisions made by the prosecutor general.
The heads of NABU and SAPO have urged President Volodymyr Zelenskyy not to sign the draft law, which they say will effectively destroy the independence of these institutions.
However, on the evening of 22 July, the website of the Verkhovna Rada published information that Zelenskyy had signed draft law No. 12414 regarding NABU and SAPO.

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