Does Kosovo need a Law for Lobster?

Kosovo over the years has spent considerable amounts of money within the lobby for new recognition, but also on other issues that concern its image as a state. However, the up-to-date form of lobbies, in addition to the assessment of the results, has often raised dilemmas about transparency of spending.

Therefore, representatives from nongovernmental organisations, as well as some of Kosovo's future deputies, consider the time has now come for the adoption of the relevant law for lobbiing.

At the Democratic Institute of Kosovo, they say establishing clear rules for lobbying is an important step in strengthening transparency and the legal framework for fighting corruption. As they say at this institute, establishing a legal framework is an important part of modern democratic society.

Arben Kelmendi of the Kosovo Democratic Institute says law-organised lobbiery increases transparency in the public sector and regulates relations between different interest groups, lobbyists, holders of the public office and politicians, which contributes to the best functioning of the state administration.

The initiative by civil society is also seen as right by some of Kosovo's future deputies. Blerta Deliu Kodra from the Democratic Party of Kosovo, which, given the outcome of the 6 October parliamentary elections, is expected to be in opposition, says such a law would help, other than others, Kosovo on the international level by taking on as well as the practices of other countries that already have this law.

I think they should consult the best practices of states, which have such a law adopted in their respective parliaments. Taking good practices, I believe, would have brought Kosovo into a good position as far as the adoption of this law is concerned and would reinforce our legislative agenda by giving weight to the lobe”, says Deliu Kodra.

In northern Macedonia, the activities of nongovernmental organisations and citizens' groups are said to have played an important role in the adoption, but also in the subsequent change of the Law for lobour. In Slovenia and Montenegro, however, the Law for lobbiery has shown an important part of the legal framework for fighting corruption in the public decision-making process.

Deliu-Codra also stresses that the phase in which Kosovo is located increases the need and demand for such a law.

The “always seeing that the political battle from a state like Serbia is becoming harsher and more vicious even with the support of its allies like Russia and other states, then I strongly believe that we too should open up discussion and talk about the need for adopting such a” bill, she said.

On the other hand, Victory Pacolli é Dalipi from the Vetevendosje Movement, which is aimed at forming the next government as the winner of the elections, considers such a law is not necessary. She says all procedures for spending public money, even for lobby, are legally defined.

According to her, there are standards of laws even about who has powers for lobbiery starting with ministers and others.

“We can take measures through existing legislation not to misuse public money in terms of lobby abroad. We think that lobeing can be done in different forms without taking special companies for a particular issue. So, we think there shouldn't be another law that tries to fix such a case”, says Pacolli Dalipi.