The three parliamentary parties in the Assembly of Kosovo, VV, PDK and AAK have shown different stances on the need to approve the Law on Lobbying.

At the table of the Kosova Democratic Institute (KDI) on Tuesday, the ruling party expressed more skepticism about the adoption of this law, while the two opposition parties emphasized the need to increase transparency and accountability towards the executive, as well as the Assembly, through this draft law. Meanwhile, the EU Office in Kosovo emphasized the necessity of adopting this law to get closer to the European Union.

The head of the VV Parliamentary Group, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, said lobbying in Kosovo is not legally regulated, but it happens constantly through public discussions of draft laws.

Expressing reservations about this law, Kusari-Lila said that it is very complex, since corporations and businesses have more financial resources to push forward policies, than marginalized groups or civil society representatives.

She emphasized the need to first approve the code of ethics in the Assembly and to regulate some other resources that support lobbying.

PDK MP, Blerta Deliu-Kodra, expressed a different attitude, who said that the issue of lobbying should be regulated by law, but based on the best European practices.

She also mentioned the case of Gani Jakupi, the external adviser of the MFAD (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora), where, according to her, he is paid 7,500 euros per month for lobbying, but there is no transparency and accountability for his concrete work.

AAK MP, Time Kadrijaj, also expressed support for the need to approve this law.

On the other hand, from the EU Office in Kosovo, Jarmo Helppikangas, said that lobbying is regulated by law in the EU, therefore Kosovo should also take initiatives for the adoption of this law.

The host of this table, Pleurat Avdiu, said that the idea of this discussion is to have greater regulation and clarity in the matter of lobbying.

The initiative for the adoption of a law on lobbying also took place in 2019.