The ambassadors of the G7 countries in Ukraine welcomed the adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of amendments No. 5459-1 to the law on the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU).

"G7 Ambassadors welcome the adoption of the law on NABU by Verkhovna Rada & cross-party support for it. This is a step forward in strengthening independent anti-corruption institutions. Transparency & competitiveness in selecting new director will be crucial," the UK Presidency of the G7 Ambassadors' Support Group in Kyiv said in a statement posted on Twitter Wednesday.

As reported, on Tuesday, the Verkhovna Rada supported bill No. 5459-1 on bringing the status of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine in line with the requirements of the Constitution.

The bill changes the status of NABU and makes it a central executive body with a special status. (Today, NABU is a state law enforcement agency.) At the same time, the requirements of the Cabinet of Ministers on appointing the main staff of the central executive body do not apply to the National Bureau.

The bill also removes the norm according to which NABU is created by the president.

According to the changes, the Cabinet of Ministers coordinates the work of NABU within the limits and in the manner established by this law, but the government does not approve the regulation on NABU.

The Cabinet of Ministers appoints and dismisses the director of National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (currently the president).

The competitive selection for the post of NABU director is organized and conducted by a commission, which includes six people, of which three members of the commission are proposed by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and three more – by the Cabinet on the basis of proposals from partners who provided international technical assistance to Ukraine to prevent and combat corruption.

As Head of the parliamentary committee on anti-corruption policy Anastasia Radina (the Servant of the People parliamentary faction) said during the discussion of proposals and amendments to the bill, independent experts will work in the competition committee, as recommended by the Venice Commission.

According to an explanatory note to the bill, the Constitutional Court on August 28, 2020 recognized presidential decree No. 218/2015 on the appointment of Artem Sytnyk as director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine unconstitutional, and on September 16, 2020, the Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional certain provisions of the Law of Ukraine on the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine.