The problem with lobbying is the fact that different agents have disproportionate access to main decision-makers. Non-governmental organisations usually have much more limited financial resources than multinational companies, which consequently have much stronger political connections. Foto: BoBo
The problem with lobbying is the fact that different agents have disproportionate access to main decision-makers. Non-governmental organisations usually have much more limited financial resources than multinational companies, which consequently have much stronger political connections. Foto: BoBo
Doria claims that the regulation makes no sense – nobody will announce his purpose is lobbying. Foto: BoBo

In Slovenia lobbying has negative connotation; most people probably associate it with briefcases full of banknotes, paid holidays at exotic locations, and gifts changing hands with the purpose of passing dubious decisions bringing profit to certain people at cost of public interest.
The situation is still far from ideal, although the recent report by the Transparency International on lobbying in Europe categorizes Slovenia as the country with good lobbying legislation. However, the transparency is still insufficient, said Secretary General of the Slovenia Transparency International (TI) Vid Doria.
So-called “big data” is coming to our aid
A new project is being prepared by Slovenia TI in order to improve the transparency of the situation regarding influencing of legislation. According to Doria, tracing of legislation changes will become available. In cooperation with the Jozef Stefan Institute a new web application is being created, which will allow monitoring of new laws creation.
"Among other things it will be possible, by clicking the name of a deputy, to see the acts the deputy in question was most involved with, and his or her statements at sessions of individual boards. The application will include links to newspaper articles with deputies' public statements regarding these acts, and data on lobbying contacts will be thus available as well," he explained their future plans.