This article summarizes the heated debate over the fate of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), which has drawn public concern even among those unfamiliar with its functions. Similar scrutiny surrounds other acronyms like SAPO, HACC, and NACP.
The author draws on personal experience with NABU’s Public Oversight Council, analyzing how 'grant-eaters', the opposition, and politicians use arguments about efficiency and independence to pursue their own interests or political agendas.
Central themes include the concentration of power, risks of usurpation, and public distrust, magnified by the ongoing war and losses that stir demands for simple answers to complex issues.
The article examines Western involvement with Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions and emphasizes that fighting corruption is the shared responsibility of all branches of government and society, not just specific agencies.
Ultimately, the author urges citizens to move beyond debates over acronyms and politics, and instead to actively oversee local governance and embrace responsibility for change. The future of anti-corruption lies in reforms, outside assistance and, most importantly, in the civic engagement of Ukrainians themselves.
