NGOs Call on Government to Discuss Lobbying Regulation

Bratislava, 20 June (TASR) - Slovak NGOs Transparency International Slovakia, Let's Stop Corruption Foundation, and Via Iuris called on the government during a Friday press conference to open a discussion on lobbying regulation, presenting a proposal based on EU best practices, while warning that Slovakia remains one of the few EU countries without a lobbying law, leaving room for non-transparent practices. “Influencing public policy by various interest groups is common in a democracy, but it must be transparent and subject to oversight,” said Via Iuris director Katarina Batkova. According to her, proper lobbying regulation requires clear definitions of terms such as lobbying, lobbyist, and lobbied party, as well as the establishment of non-discriminatory and transparent rules. NGOs noted that the government coalition previously tried to regulate lobbying through an amendment to the non-profit law but, after criticism, announced plans for a new approach. Transparency International Slovakia, Let's Stop Corruption Foundation, and Via Iuris have proposed key principles for quality legislation and invited politicians and partners to join the discussion. Their joint publication includes an EU comparison, a case study from the Czech Republic, and key definitions and rules tailored for Slovakia. NGOs warn that the absence of lobbying regulations in Slovakia makes oversight impossible and creates space for corruption. Zuzana Petková, director of the Let's Stop Corruption Foundation, pointed out that the term “lobbyist” is often misused in political discourse, turning it into a slur. She also criticised the lack of transparency in Parliament, where MPs rarely disclose who they meet when discussing legislation. In a recent survey, only seven out of 150 MPs — all from the opposition — responded to questions about their meetings with lobbyists. Meanwhile, Slovak MEPs, who are already required to report such meetings, have disclosed over 300 since last year’s European elections. lin/mcs