Who funds campaigns against the state? The head of the National Association of Lobbyists pointed to shadow financing of influence on government bodies and called for transparency

Today in Ukraine, virtually everyone who influences lawmaking processes, in one way or another, touches upon issues of national security and constitutional order — whether they realize it or not. Therefore, any activity related to lobbying or promoting legislative initiatives that change the structure and order of work of state authorities must be clearly defined and transparently declared. This opinion was expressed in a comment to UNN by the head of the National Association of Lobbyists of Ukraine, lawyer Oleksiy Shevchuk.

He emphasized that this concerns not only ordinary business lobbying, but also campaigns for amendments to the Constitution, restructuring the system of subordination of senior officials, and reorganization of individual state institutions.

All entities that consistently promote such changes — through draft laws, information campaigns, actions, advocacy tours — must be within the field of a public transparency register, with open data on funding sources and ultimate beneficiaries 

Lobbyists and advocacy organizations should be obliged not only to register their activities, but also to publish information about connections with people's deputies, the volume and origin of funding, the thematic profile of campaigns, and an assessment of their impact on public policy.

Preventing behind-the-scenes influence on personnel decisions

Oleksiy Shevchuk drew attention to the procedure for nominating candidates for key state positions. According to the head of the Association of Lobbyists, such a submission should be made exclusively by an authorized subject of power — a minister, and not by a person temporarily acting in their capacity — with subsequent approval by the Cabinet of Ministers within the framework of the current constitutional and legislative order.

This is not just a formality, but a safeguard against behind-the-scenes personnel decisions that may be part of hidden lobbying or political schemes 

Another illustrative example, according to Shevchuk, is the imposition of a false belief about the supposed "mandatory" nature of competitions where neither the Constitution nor relevant laws provide for such competitions.

We see outright information propaganda in support of procedures that have no legal basis, but are presented as the only "correct" or "European" path, which creates false legitimacy for extra-legal practices 

Oleksiy Shevchuk is convinced that such campaigns are rarely spontaneous.

Behind them are specific influence groups, financed mainly through grant funds or other targeted financing — because preparing a draft law, organizing a large-scale action, building a communication strategy, ensuring media presence — all of this requires significant resources. In wartime conditions and the transformation of the lobbying services market, the risks of shadow financing only increase 

"Gray zone" of influence hiding behind civil society

The head of the National Association of Lobbyists, according to him, is particularly concerned that, in parallel with formalized, registered lobbying, a "gray zone" of uncontrolled advocacy structures is forming.

On the one hand, legal lobbyists are obliged to report on their contacts with people's deputies, government officials, and officials, work within the Transparency Register, and can be held accountable for violations. On the other hand, there are groups of individuals without any status who do not submit declarations, do not register, but systematically meet with individual parliamentarians, hand them ready-made texts of draft laws, initiate amendments to the Constitution and laws — and do this "free of charge" only at first glance. In essence, we have a situation where a registered lobbyist operates under strict procedural requirements, while informal groups, financed from unknown sources, unhinderedly influence state policy in strategic areas. This creates an asymmetry of transparency and accountability: those who act openly are subject to control, while those who claim the role of "civil society" often remain outside any rules of the game 

In his opinion, the key issue today is who funds campaigns aimed at changing the work of state bodies, reforming the Constitution, and restructuring the system of public authority.

Who is this "sponsor", in whose interests are the information and political campaigns disguised as technical reforms or management modernization taking place. Without an answer to this question, we cannot honestly talk about genuine democratic participation, the rule of law, and the virtuous representation of interests in parliament 

That is why the head of the National Association of Lobbyists insists: all campaigns aimed at changing the structure of state authorities, altering constitutional foundations, and reassigning key officials must be implemented exclusively through transparent mechanisms — with data on organizers, donors, and ultimate beneficiaries entered into open registers. Lobbyists and advocacy organizations should be required not only to register their activities but also to disclose information about ties with people's deputies, the volume and origin of funding, the thematic profile of campaigns, and an assessment of their impact on public policy.

Shevchuk emphasized that this is not a question of banning advocacy or civic activity.

On the contrary — it is a question of fair competition of ideas, where society sees who exactly stands behind each "reform", each draft law, each information campaign. In modern Ukraine, transparent lobbying should become not an exception but a standard, and shadow influence disguised as good intentions should be identified, regulated, and, if necessary, limited in a manner consistent with the Constitution and international anti-corruption standards