Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association calls on NACP head Viktor Pavlushchyk to stop pressure on independence of lobbying profession

The Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association (UNLA) calls on the head of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) Viktor Pavlushchyk to refrain from steps which, in the Association’s opinion, may limit the independence of the lobbying profession and introduce excessive control over its activities.

“We appeal to the head of the NACP, Viktor Pavlushchyk, with a public call to stop the pressure on the independent lobbying profession and to move to an open dialogue with the professional community. The regulation of lobbying must be based on European standards of transparency, and not on manual control of the market by a state body,” said Chairman of the Board of the Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association Oleksii Shevchuk at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Wednesday.

According to him, decisions regarding the monitoring and reporting of lobbyists must be made after public consultations with the UNLA as the sectoral organization.

UNLA Anti-Corruption Commissioner Yana Tsymbalenko, in turn, stressed that the independence of the lobbying profession is an important component of the democratic decision-making system.

“Lobbying is about transparency in the representation of interests, not about shadow arrangements. Any initiatives by the regulator that may be perceived as pressure on the profession must be discussed openly, taking into account the best European practices. We are ready to cooperate with the NACP, but on the basis of partnership, not subordination,” Tsymbalenko emphasized.