The National Association of Lobbyists of Ukraine (NALU) calls on Viktor Pavlushchik, head of the National Agency for Corruption Prevention (NAZK), to refrain from taking steps that, in the Association’s opinion, could restrict the independence of the lobbying profession and introduce excessive control over their activities.
“We appeal to the head of the NACP, Viktor Pavlushchik, with a public call to stop pressuring the independent profession of lobbyists and to move towards an open dialogue with the professional community. The regulation of lobbying should be based on European standards of transparency, not on manual control of the market by a state body,” said Oleksiy Shevchuk, chairman of the board of the National Association of Lobbyists of Ukraine, at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Wednesday.
According to him, decisions regarding the monitoring and reporting of lobbyists should be made after public consultations with the NALU as a specialized organization.
Yana Tsymbalenko, the NALU’s anti-corruption commissioner, emphasized that the independence of the lobbying profession is an important component of a democratic decision-making system.
“Lobbying is about transparency in representing interests, not about shady deals. Any initiatives by the regulator that could be perceived as pressure on the profession should be discussed openly, taking into account best European practices. We are ready to cooperate with the NACP, but on the basis of partnership, not subordination,” Tsymbalenko stressed.
https://interfax.com.ua/news/press-conference/1121821.html
