Legal regulation and institutionalisation of lobbying in Lithuania

2000 m. Lietuvoje buvo priimtas Lobistinės veiklos įstatymas kurio atnaujinta 2003 m. redakcija galioja iki šiol. Mūsų šalis prisijungė prie tų valstybių, kuriose lobizmas yra institucionalizuotas ir griežtai reglamentuotas specialiu įstatymu. Straipsnyje analizuojama, kodėl vis dėlto Lietuvoje per pastarąjį dešimtmetį nepavyko sukurti veiksmingo, viešai ir skaidriai pagal įstatymu nustatytą tvarką funkcionuojančio interesų grupių ir valstybės politikų/pareigūnų sąveikos teisės aktų leidyboje modelio. Priežasčių yra ne viena, bet, autoriaus nuomone, daugiausia lėmė tai, kad nepavyko į legalaus lobizmo sistemą organiškai integruoti asocijuotų interesų grupių. Analizuojant užsienio šalių patyrimą, ieškoma atsakymo į klausimą, kodėl Lietuvoje susiklostė paradoksali padėtis – net ir suvaržius lobizmą griežtu reglamentu, jis praktikoje plėtojasi pagal visai kitokį modelį, kuris yra aprobuotas daugumoje demokratinių pasaulio šalių ir pagrįstas savireguliacija, savanorišku susisaistymu etikos normomis, lobistų veiklos bei jų atstovaujamų interesų viešumu ir skaidrumu.In 2000 the Law on Lobbying Activities was adopted in Lithuania and in 2003 it was amended. The country institutionalized a certain model of the lobbying institute, which is distinguished by the system of permission of lawful forms of lobbyism and, by contrast, prohibition of shadow lobbying appearances and sanctions for violations, mandatory registration of lobbyists, their strict control, liability and reporting. Such tradition of interaction of interest groups with government institutions is typical to the USA and some other countries, including several post-Communist nations. However, the analysis shows that lobbying legalized itself in Lithuania according to the procedure laid down by the Law only in insignificant volume; a small group of registered lobbyists pursue it—their number differs, but seldom exceeds twenty natural and legal persons who do not play any more noticeable role in influencing political decisions. Lithuanian lobbying has serious issues, for example, bad public opinion, etc., however, the essential obstacle has become the fact that non-governmental organizations, representing civil business interests, failed to integrate into the system laid down by the Law. Their lobbying on behalf of their members remained unregulated and uncontrolled. Eventually, an alternative attitude to lobbying regulation was settled. This is the model of lobbying activities poorly restricted by legal norms, when high publicity and transparency standards, ensured by internal rules, codes of ethics and analogous instruments of government institutions are applicable to the actions of lobbyists. Influential associated interest groups actively speak against the attempts, covered by the necessity of lobbying regulations, to restrict the initiatives of civil society, related to the objective to influence legislation. Lithuania failed to establish the explicitly and strictly legally regulated lobbying of the Anglo-Saxon type, though the Law on Lobbying is officially still in force. In this area our country should take the road chosen by the absolute majority of democratic countries and refuse altogether lobbying regulating lobbying under a special legal act