PARIS, July 23. /TASS/. Paris shares the European Commission's concerns regarding Ukraine’s newly adopted law, which effectively undermines the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, and expects Kiev to reconsider its adoption, Minister Delegate for European Affairs at the French Foreign Ministry Benjamin Haddad said.

"I echo the European Commission's deep concern over this decision, which it expressed yesterday. Of course, it is not too late for Ukraine to revisit this move. When you are an EU candidate country, you are expected to meet certain requirements in terms of combating corruption, upholding the rule of law, respecting minorities, political opposition, and judicial independence. So we shall remain extremely vigilant on this matter," Haddad stated during a broadcast by France Inter radio.

The French diplomat added that Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot had already raised the issue with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrey Sibiga. Haddad emphasized that Paris continues engagement with Kiev on the matter.

On July 22, Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, passed the bill in question with 263 votes in favor. Under the law, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office will be placed under the authority of the prosecutor general, who will be able to influence the activities of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau. Apart from that, the law lifts the ban on transferring cases from the Bureau to other agencies, meaning the prosecutor general can now reassign cases to other prosecutors. According to Ukrainian media, the law will seriously impact the work of both the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the National Agency on Corruption Prevention, which monitors tax declarations. The law has already triggered public backlash in Ukrainian society.