Prime Minister Shmyhal is pushing a law that turns the SBU into a shadow government

This week, the Verkhovna Rada’s Committee on Legal Policy endorsed and recommended for parliamentary approval the controversial bill No. 12028, initiated by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

The bill proposes amendments to the Law on the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) that would significantly expand the SBU’s influence far beyond the traditional powers of an intelligence service in a democratic state.

According to the bill, the SBU would, for the first time, be officially granted the right not only to draft regulatory legal acts but also to submit them directly to the President and the Cabinet of Ministers. Moreover, the security agency would be able to initiate government acts on par with ministries, state administrations, and other executive bodies — something previously impermissible.

This initiative has raised serious concerns both domestically and internationally. Experts are sounding the alarm: granting a security service legislative initiative and direct influence over state policymaking poses a direct threat to the substitution of civilian institutions with security structures. In normal democratic systems, intelligence agencies are strictly limited to professional activities in the realm of security and do not interfere in lawmaking or governance.

Analysts warn that this move threatens to further militarize the government, strengthen the punitive functions of the SBU, and increase pressure on the opposition and civil society. It reflects a clear trend toward establishing authoritarian control, where security services cease to be an “invisible shield of the state” and instead become active participants in governing the country, including shaping the legislative agenda.

If the Rada passes this bill, Ukraine risks sliding further into a governance model where civilian authorities operate in the shadow and under the control of security forces, and where freedom of speech, opposition activities, and independent media would come under even greater threat.