Loathed lobbyists

The best known lobbyists in Poland, Marek Dochnal and Lew Rywin, didn't do much good for the profession. Both made headline news as a result of bribery scandals. No wonder then, that in a recent poll conducted by CBM Indicator for Poczta Polska, as many as 42 percent of respondents said lobbying is just another name for corruption and almost 40 percent of those surveyed think it should be forbidden altogether.

"The general perception of lobbying and lobbyists is to a large extent determined by the recent corruption scandals - and unjustly so. The majority of Poles can't see the point of lobbying firms, and lobbying itself is associated with activities that are profitable for entrepreneurs and not the state," says Professor Jan Garlicki, president of CBM Indicator. According to Garlicki there is a need for clear-cut regulations that would define the rights and legal areas of operations for anyone intending to engage in lobbying.

In Poland, a new law regulating lobbying activities will come into force at the beginning of March. It stresses the need for transparency of lobbyists' activities, forms of control over lobbying institutions and their registration.

"While the majority of Polish society doesn't approve of businessmen trying to influence politicians, they have nothing against the reversal of the situation and believe the state should be more active in influencing the economy - especially when it comes to social benefits, healthcare or transport," adds Garlicki.

The areas where cooperation between politicians and entrepreneurs is possible or even desirable, according to respondents, include labor regulations, taxes, EU law and specific problems of a given branch.