Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies still feel pressure from Zelensky – Bloomberg

Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions continue to feel pressure from President Volodymyr Zelensky.

This information reported according to a report by Bloomberg.

Sources cited by the agency say that anti-corruption bodies fear the Zelensky administration may continue exerting pressure on them, even after backing down from a controversial move to strip these agencies of their independence.

According to Bloomberg’s sources, concerns remain that Kyiv could undermine the work of the country’s two main anti-corruption agencies by pressuring investigators or replacing their leadership.

One Bloomberg source — a European official — said these concerns are shared in the capitals of Ukraine’s allies.

Earlier, these same concerns were voiced by the head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), Oleksandr Klymenko.

In an interview with The Financial Times, he warned that his agency would face “even more political pressure and smear campaigns,” despite the recent adoption of a law intended to restore its independence.

Klymenko described recent actions against his agency as part of a “coordinated” effort by senior government officials. According to him, the goal of this campaign is to undermine the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions, gain access to case materials, and influence the course of investigations.