Sources: Parliament set to support Zelenskyy’s anti-corruption bill
Illustrative photo: Parliament has secured the necessary number of votes for the NABU bill (Getty Images)
Parliament has already secured enough votes to pass the presidential bill on restoring the powers of NABU (the National Anti-Corruption Bureau) and SAP (Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office), according to sources.
According to one of the interlocutors, the votes might even be secured "with a significant margin," while another said that there will be a margin of votes, but not as large.
In any case, it is expected that the bill submitted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday, July 31, will be confidently supported by the majority of deputies from the Servant of the People party, as well as deputies from European Solidarity and Holos. Together, this should provide 180–190 votes out of the 226 needed.
"I think that from the other side of the hall, from the remnants of OPZZh (Opozytsiina Platforma - Za Zhyttia party - ed.) and deputy groups, we need to gather those 40 votes,” one of the sources told the outlet.
At the same time, none of the interlocutors expect support for the bill from the Batkivshchyna faction.
The number of potential votes in favor of restoring the independence of NABU and SAP is gradually increasing. For example, as recently as Monday, July 28, some sources within Servant of the People assumed that the 226 votes "for" would not yet be reached.
Zelenskyy’s bill on NABU
Last week, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy submitted a bill to Parliament aimed at ensuring the independence of NABU and SAP, as well as protecting the anti-corruption agencies from Russian influence.
The need for such a bill arose after Parliament curtailed the powers of the two main anti-corruption bodies by passing a controversial law.
This move sparked a swift reaction among Ukrainians — residents of several cities took to the streets in protest.
