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Kyiv’s anti-corruption setback draws warning from Warsaw

26.07.2025 13:45
A recent vote in Ukraine’s parliament to scale back the powers of two major anti-graft institutions has sparked concern in Warsaw.
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Protesters at a rally in Kyiv against moves to limit the independence of Ukraines anti-corruption authorities, July 24, 2025.
Protesters at a rally in Kyiv against moves to limit the independence of Ukraine's anti-corruption authorities, July 24, 2025.Photo: EPA/SERGEY DOLZHENKO

Polish officials, including the foreign minister, issued a clear warning that any erosion of anti-corruption efforts could seriously undermine Ukraine’s aspirations for European Union membership.

Piotr Serafin, the Polish EU budget commissioner, warned that the authorities in Kyiv must be particularly cautious when it comes to combating corruption.

He noted that the narrative portraying Ukraine as incapable of tackling corruption is often promoted by the country's adversaries.

EU Budget Commissioner Piotr Serafin. EU Budget Commissioner Piotr Serafin. Photo: © European Union, 2025, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

"The issue of corruption is already being used by them as an argument against providing support for Ukraine," Serafin said.

"That’s why I believe Ukrainian leaders must remain particularly attuned to criticism to avoid giving even the slightest cause for doubt in this regard," he added.

Michał Owczarek has the story.

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