HCLU on the Corruption Package
The HCLU sent its opinion to the Members of Parliament on the draft amendment submitted by the government, which aims to establish new institutions in its fight against corruption.
Considering that within the current legal frame competent authorities are unable to reach results in the fight against corruption, we believe it is necessary to establish a strong, legally authorized institution to better this bitter situation. We especially welcome regulation on the protection of those who report malpractices, as this will lead to more citizens disclosing information on behalf of the public.
Besides its many positive elements, the package does need supplementation. In its opinion sent to MPs, the HCLU suggested to extend the legal range of territories, as it currently excludes many territories where corruption is flourishing. The HCLU also have strong concerns about the regulation on the election of the director of the new institution, which foreshadow that the director may not be politically unattached.
It is a regrettable, that despite the thorough amendment on laws regulating lobbying being present in the original draft, it was excluded from the text submitted to the Parliament. In 2009, only 33 substantive reports reached the competent Ministry of Justice. This reflects the malfunctions of the lobby regulations, even though it is clear that the number of those trying to validate their business interests through contacting decision makers is much higher.
