Umthi wodwa umi kwisangqa setrafikhi phakathi kwentsimbi kunye nezakhiwo zeofisi yeglasi yePalamente yaseYurophu eBrussels. Umqondiso ongezantsi komthi, otyalwe nguMbutho weeNgcali zeMicimbi yaseYurophu (SEAP), ufundeka ngolu hlobo: 'Imibandela ebalulekileyo imele isonjululwe ngengxoxo nangesigqibo, ngokuzimisela, ngomonde nangokuzinikela.'
Ekuqaleni kuka-Okthobha, iqela elincinane labaphembeleli latyhola ukuba ngaphezu kwayo nayiphi na enye yezi mpawu, yimali kunye nefuthe elifihlakeleyo elithatha isigqibo kwimiba ebalulekileyo. Kuqhankqalazo lwexesha lesidlo sasemini, amatsha-ntliziyo agquma umthi ngamaphepha amaninzi atyheli esikwa yi-Euro, kwaye aphakamisa uphawu olulolwabo: 'Phelisa iMfihlo ye-Lobbying.' Abaphembeleli bahlawulisa amaqela amashishini anamandla afana ne-SEAP, emele ngaphezu kwe-200 lobbyists corporate, esebenzisa impembelelo engafanelekanga kwizigqibo zomthetho waseYurophu, asebenza ngasese kwaye aphephe ukubeka iliso.
'Akukho mntu waziyo ukuba ngubani kanye kanye ophembelela bani,' utshilo uCaroline Lucas, iLungu laseBritane lePalamente yaseYurophu (MEP), ophume kwizakhiwo ezisemthethweni ukujoyina uqhanqalazo lwamatshantliziyo. 'Kukho indawo yokusebenzela emanyeneyo apha, kodwa iyimfihlo kwaye inokufikelela kwiKomishoni ngendlela thina, njengamalungu epalamente, ngokungafihlisiyo esinokuphupha ngayo. Akukho hlobo lwerejista - ndicinga ukuba ibaluleke kakhulu. Leyo kuphela kwendlela yokuqinisekisa ukuba abantu bayayithemba inkqubo, kwizigqibo ezithathwa apha.'
Inkqubo ngoku ibandakanya ngaphezu kwe-15,000 lobbyists abasebenza eBrussels ukuba baphembelele ngokukrakra inqwaba yamaziko amakhulu e-European Union (EU) alawula amashumi eebhiliyoni zee-Euro kwinkxaso-mali kunye nokwenza isigqibo ngemithetho engqongqo yokusingqongileyo, yabasebenzi kunye neyemali elawula i-27 EU. amazwe angamalungu. Malunga ne-90 pesenti yaba bavukeli kukholelwa ukuba basebenzela ushishino, kunye namaqela oluntu afana nabezendalo kunye neemanyano zabasebenzi abangaphantsi kweshumi ekhulwini. Bebonke bachitha malunga ne-750 yezigidi zee-Euro (i-1 yeebhiliyoni zeedola) ngonyaka ukuphembelela abaphathi baseYurophu.
Emva kweyure emva koqhanqalazo emthini, amatsha ntliziyo ajoyina amakhulu abasebenzi kunye nabaxhasi be-lobbyists kwigumbi lepalamente ukuze bamamele ukuva okokuqala malunga nokulawulwa kweelobbyists ngaphakathi kwenkqubo ye-EU. Abameli beenkampani ezisuka kuDaimler-Chrysler, umenzi wemoto, kunye noKraft, isigebenga sokutya esisetyenzwayo, siphindwe kabini ngokuchasene nabathengi kunye namaqela okusingqongileyo kubandakanya Abahlobo boMhlaba kunye nabemi boluntu.
Udliwano-ndlebe lwepalamente lulandele isigqibo sikaMatshi seKhomishini yaseYurophu enamandla ngakumbi (esisigqeba esilawulayo se-European Union, endaweni efana ne-White House, jonga ibhokisi) ukuqala ukugcina ubhaliso ngokuzithandela lwabaququzeleli. Inxalenye ye-European Transparency Initiative, ubhaliso ngokuzithandela lucwangciselwe ukuqalisa ngentwasahlobo ka-2008. Ukuba akubonakalanga lusebenza emva konyaka, iKomishoni inokuqwalasela ubhaliso olusisinyanzelo.
U-Siim Kallas wase-Estonia, umlawuli wekomishoni ochasene nobuqhetseba, okhuphe 'i-European Transparency Initiative' ungummeli onamandla wokulawula ishishini. 'IBrussels kunye neWashington zibonwa ngokubanzi njengamakomkhulu amabini aphembelelayo ehlabathi. Kuzo zombini ezi ndawo, kuqulunqwa umthetho ochaphazela ubomi kunye nomdla wezoqoqosho kumakhulu ezigidi zabemi,' wabhala kwi-op-ed ye-6 kaFebruwari 2006. Wall Street Journal. 'Kuya kuba nekratshi, kwaye ngokwenene uphawu lokungazi, ukubiza ukuba abezopolitiko baseYurophu abanakonakaliswa.'
Inyathelo leKhomishoni lokungafihlisi likwaphakamisa ukuba abaququzeleli bavelise ukubhengezwa kwemali beqikelela ingeniso yabo yonyaka, kunye nokwahlulwa kwepesenti apho abathengi okanye abaxhasi bahlawula ntoni. 'Ngenxa yokuba akukho nto iphosakeleyo ngokuphembelela abantu, akumele kubekho nto ifihlakeleyo,' wabhala watsho uKallas.
Kuninzi, nangona kunjalo, kusahleli kungachazwanga: Inyathelo le-European Transparency Initiative linenkcazo ebanzi yokuba ngubani umxhasi kwaye yintoni ekufuneka irekhodwe njengomsebenzi wokuphembelela. Kwaye njengoko abaququzeleli bezomkhosi kunganyanzelekanga ukuba baxelele amalungu epalamente okanye abasemagunyeni ukuba zeziphi iinkampani ezibaqeshayo, phantse akunakwenzeka ukuba babeke iliso okanye bavavanye ifuthe lenzame zabo zokuphembelela.
Kwakhona, inyathelo leKomishoni yaseYurophu ayisebenzi kubaququzeleli abadibana namalungu ePalamente yaseYurophu, abadlala indima encinci, nangona ibaluleke kakhulu, kwinkqubo yolawulo lwaseYurophu. Imithetho yePalamente iza kuqulunqwa ngoyena mntu ulunge ngakumbi kushishino u-Alexander Stubb, iMEP yaseFinland, ongunobhala ekuphembeleleni ikomiti yemicimbi yomgaqo-siseko yePalamente yaseYurophu. U-Stubb usandul 'ukuxelela i-Public Affairs News, iphephancwadi loshishino, ukuba akukho mfuneko yokudala inkqubo enyanzelekileyo. 'Ngenxa yokuba imbono yam ngokuphembelela abantu ukuba ayiqhawukanga, musa ukuyilungisa.'
Inkqubo yangoku, apho i-lobbyists ifumana imvume yonyaka omnye yokungena kwindawo yePalamente yaseYurophu emva kokusayina ikhowudi yokuziphatha, yayanele, waqhubeka. 'Kwiminyaka yam emithathu, kwaye ndibone malunga nama-500 abameli abahlukeneyo kwi-ofisi yam, ndiye ndadibana nokusetyenziswa kakubi komgaqo wokuziphatha kwaye ndicinga ukuba usebenze kakuhle,' utshilo.
Ethubeni lalo nyaka, ikomiti yeStubb iza kuvotela ingxelo eza kuthi idityaniswe nephulo lokwenza izinto elubala, kwaye iza kucebisa ukuba yeyiphi imigaqo ekufuneka iquke ukuphembelela ipalamente. (Ngokwethiyori, iPalamente inokuyalela ukuba kubekho umgaqo ongqongqo kunalowo ubekwe yiKhomishini yaseYurophu.)
US Abaxhasi beLobbyists
Inkulu kwaye inefuthe njengoko i-EU lobbyist ishishini linjalo, lincinci kunelinye laseMelika. Kukho malunga nama-35,000 abameli ababhalisiweyo e-United States, ababhala inkcitho ye-$ 2.61 yezigidigidi ngo-2006, ngokutsho kweZiko lezoPolitiko eziPhendulayo, iWashington, DC-based non-profit.
UCraig Holman, i-lobbyist ebhalisiweyo evela kwi-Public Citizen, enye i-Washington, DC-based non-profit non-profit, wamenywa ukuba anike ubungqina kwipalamente ngo-Oktobha 8. Wachaza ukuba phantsi kwemodeli yase-US, eyenziwe ngo-1995, i-lobbyist ichazwa njengomntu. ofumana umvuzo obalulekileyo womsebenzi wokuphembelela, wenza unxibelelwano olungaphezulu kwesinye kwisithuba seminyaka emithandathu, kwaye anikele ubuncinane kwisihlanu sexesha lakhe ekuphembeleleni umxhasi othile. Aba baququzeleli kufuneka badwelise lowo banxibelelana naye ukuba ngowuphi umxhasi, kunye neemali kunye nemithombo yomvuzo wabo.
Ipasiswe ngoSeptemba, umthetho omtsha wase-US unciphisa ngokumangalisayo uhlobo lwezipho ezinokuthi zinikwe abenzi bomthetho. Ngokomzekelo, ivumela ukuba iintlanganiso zesidlo sakusasa zibe kwikofu needonuts, isidlo sangokuhlwa โkukutya kweminwe,โ yaye iyakwalela izidlo ezihlala phantsi.
Iziko leMfezeko yoLuntu, elikwakwiWashington, DC-based non-profit, linika ingxelo yokuba imithetho ye-US federal lobbyists ibuthathaka kunaleyo ikuzo zonke kodwa ezimbalwa zamazwe. Ngokomzekelo, i-37 ithi ifuna ulwazi olucacileyo kwiindleko ze-lobbyist nganye, ngelixa urhulumente wobumbano engenzi. Amanye amazwe angama-24 aneekhomishini ezizimeleyo zokuziphatha ezibandakanya amalungu oluntu okanye iijaji ezidla umhlala-phantsi ukuba ziphande kwaye zinyanzelise imithetho yokuphembelela.
Iimbambano Zomdla
Ii-Lobbyists bezisentliziyweni yezenzo ezigwenxa zezopolitiko zase-US kule minyaka imbalwa idlulileyo, ngaphandle kwento yokuba zilawulwa kakhulu kunabalingane babo baseYurophu. Kulo nyaka uphelileyo kuphela, amalungu angama-22 eNkongolo kunye nabasebenzi bawo babekwa izityholo zobuqhophololo, ezinye zazo zinxulumene nokuphembelela.
Owona mzekelo udume kakhulu wokuphembelela ugqithiso nguJack Abramoff, owavuma enetyala ngoJanuwari 2006 ukuya kumatyala amathathu olwaphulo-mthetho anxulumene norhwaphilizo lwamagosa karhulumente kunye nokuqhatha izizwe zaseMelika zaseMelika. Ukongezelela, ukusuka kwi-1995 ukuya kwi-2001, i-firm firm ye-Abramoff yahlawulwa ubuncinane i-6.7 yezigidi zeedola yi-Commonwealth ye-Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) ngokuncedisa ukuqulunqa umgaqo-nkqubo ovumela abavelisi ukuba bakhulise isimo se-Mariana njengentsimi yase-US: Iziqithi zaziyi. bakwazi ukulebhelisha iimveliso zabo 'Yenziwe e-USA,' kwaye kwangaxeshanye bakhululwe kwimithetho yase-US yokufudukela kwelinye ilizwe kunye nemithetho yezabasebenzi. Ukusebenzelana kuka-Abramoff kunye nenkampani yamandla yaseRashiya kwakuxhomekeke kwi-Federal Bureau of Investigations inquiry. Abaphathi be-Naftasib bafake izigidi nge-Abramoff ukuba baphembelele amavoti kwi-Congress yase-US kumthetho oye wanceda ukuba kwenzeke ukuba i-International Monetary Fund ikhuphe uqoqosho lwaseRashiya oluphazamisayo.
Ngelixa amanyundululu anjalo engekafiki eYurophu, uninzi lweziganeko ezincinci ziye zabonisa iziphene kwinkqubo. Umzekelo, amalungu epalamente aliqela kunye nabaphathi abaphezulu baseYurophu baye batyholwa ngokuthatha 'iminyango ejikelezayo' imisebenzi kwishishini xa beyeka imisebenzi yabo karhulumente. Emva kokuba ngumalathisi jikelele wezoshishino eYurophu, uJean-Paul Mingasson waba ngumcebisi jikelele kwi-UNICE, umanyano lwabaqeshi baseYurophu; Ukushiya isikhundla sakhe njengomlawuli jikelele wendalo esingqongileyo yaseYurophu, uJim Currie wazibandakanya neBritish Nuclear Fuels Limited.
NgoJanuwari, umbutho osekwe eAmsterdam uCorporate Europe Observatory (CEO) wabhengeza ukuba uRolf Linkohr, igqala le-MEP leminyaka engama-25, wenza inguqulelo efanayo ethandabuzekayo. Emva kokudlala indima esebenzayo kwiikomiti zepalamente ezijongene nemiba yamandla, u-Linkohr waqhubeka nokuqondisa i-consultant yorhwebo yokuthengisa: i-Centre for European Energy Strategy (CERES). Abathengi bayo ziinkampani ezinkulu zamandla.
Ngoxa u-Linkohr wayeqhuba i-CERES, waphinda waqeshwa njengomcebisi okhethekileyo kuMkomishinala wezaMandla waseYurophu uAndris Piebalgs. 'I-CERES' abathengi bamaqumrhu banokulindelwa ukuba bafumane iingcebiso kuMnu. Ukubonelela ngengcebiso enjalo kunye nohlalutyo kusenokwenzeka ukuba ngoyena mthombo wengeniso kaMnu. 'Ngexesha elifanayo, u-Linkohr kufuneka anike umkhomishinala wamandla ngeengcebiso malunga nendlela yokulungisa imigaqo-nkqubo yamandla e-EU ukusebenzela umdla woluntu.'
Xa uKallas, umlawuli ochasene nobuqhophololo, wafumana ileta ye-CEO, wacela bonke abacebisi abakhethekileyo abangama-55 kwiKomishoni (abanye babo babeyimfihlo!) ukuba baqinisekise ukuba akukho kungqubana kwemidla phakathi kweendima zabo. Xa uLinkohr engazange aphendule ngexesha elibekiweyo, wagxothwa.
Abanye kubudlelwane boluntu kunye neshishini lokuphembelela baye babanjwa besebenzisa iindlela zokuziphatha ezithandabuzekayo. ICancer United, iqela elasungulwa eBrussels ngo-Okthobha ka-2006, limema ii-MEPs ukuba zijoyine ibhodi yayo yeengcebiso. Eli qela libanga ukuba limele imbumba yamagqirha, abongikazi kunye nezigulana ezikhuthaza ukufikelela ngokulinganayo kukhathalelo lomhlaza kwi-European Union. Kwafumaniseka ukuba iCancer United yayiliqela eliphambili elamiselwa isigebenga samayeza iRoche yifemu yobudlelwane boluntu uWeber Shandwick. (I-Roche yenza i-Herceptin yomhlaza webele, i-Avastin yomhlaza wamathumbu kunye ne-Tarceva yomhlaza wemiphunga.) Guardian Iphephandaba (UK) lityhile indima kaRoche, amalungu ebhodi yeengcebiso yeCancer Union arhoxa ngokukhawuleza.
Lobbyists Fight Initiative
Kwindibano yePalamente yaseYurophu ngo-Okthobha, abameli boshishino bakhanyela ukuba iYurophu inokuba namahlazo ohlobo lwase-US. Enye into, babanga ukuba amapalamente akanakuthatha iminikelo yabucala kumaphulo abo onyulo-owona mthombo mkhulu worhwaphilizo e-US (Oku akuyonyani ngokupheleleyo, njengoko ishishini lifaka imali kunyulo kumazwe aliqela aseYurophu, anjengeFinland kunye Netherlands, nangona ikwinqanaba elincinci kakhulu kunase-United States.)
ULyn Trytsman-Gray, i-lobbyist ye-Kraft kunye nomongameli we-SEAP, walumkisa ukuba umgaqo we-US-style ubeka umthwalo ongafanelekanga kumashishini. "Sichitha iintsuku ezingama-40 ukuya kwezingama-60 e-US ukuthobela ukubhengezwa komanyano," uxelele inkundla. (UHolman woMmi woluntu ubuze esidlangalaleni ngoqikelelo lwakhe, esithi ukuzalisa iifomu eziyimfuneko kumthabatha iiyure ezine rhoqo kwiinyanga ezintandathu.)
UThomas Tindemans osuka kwiBhunga leeBars kunye neLaw Societies of Europe ukuchasile ukubhengezwa kwemali, esithi kuyangqubana nemithetho yemfihlo kumazwe amaninzi aseYurophu. 'Ukubhengezwa koluntu kubathengi bamagqwetha kufuneka kucokiseke,' utshilo.
Okumangalisayo kukuba, abanye abaxhasi beshishini bathethe bexhasa ummiselo osisinyanzelo wabaxhasi. 'Asiyichasi inkqubo yokuzithandela, kodwa asiyiboni indlela eya kusebenza ngayo,' watsho uJosรฉ Lalloum we-European Public Affairs Consultancy Association (EPACA). Uye waqaphela ukwala ukutyikitya irejista kuya kubeka abaphembeleli bemibutho emngciphekweni wokhuphiswano.
Olu luvo lothusayo liqhinga, utsho uPaul de Clerk weFriends of the Earth Europe, naye owamenywa ukuba athethe kwiphaneli. 'Abaququzeleli badlala umdlalo omdaka. Bebephembelela ngokuchasene nenkqubo yesinyanzelo, yaye ngoku ekubeni befumene inkqubo yokuzithandela, baye baqalisa ukufuna inkqubo enyanzelwayo [njengendlela yokuphazamisa].'
U-De Clerck naye ebemele i-Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation (Alter-EU), indibaniselwano yamatsha ntliziyo oluntu abambe uqhankqalazo emthini ngaphandle kwePalamente yaseYurophu. Eli qela lifuna uthotho lohlaziyo oluquka ubhaliso olusisinyanzelo, imithetho yeenqobo zokuziphatha kwabaphembeleli bamandla kunye nomgaqo wokuziphatha wamagosa eManyano yaseYurophu, kunye nenkqubo ezimeleyo yokubeka iliso enezohlwayo ezisebenzayo. I-Alter-EU iphinde yafuna ukumelwa okulinganayo kwi-1,000-odd yamaqumrhu eengcebiso eManyano yaseYurophu elawulwa ngabaququzeleli beenkampani. Ekugqibeleni u-de Clerck wenze isindululo seminyaka emithathu 'yokuphola' phambi kokuba amagosa eManyano yaseYurophu arhoxayo okanye arhoxeyo enze imisebenzi yokuphembelela.
Emva kokuba kuphele ukuvalelwa kweyure ezintathu ezinesiqingatha, unobhala uStubbs uthe ujonge kumabango omzabalazo wokonyusa ulongamelo lwababambeli. Kodwa, wahleka ekuqukunjelweni kwetyala, xa wongezelela ukuba 'uvulekele ukuphembelela loo mbuzo.'
IiLobbyists zeSizwe
Ngelixa iPalamente yaseYurophu ixoxa ngohlaziyo eBrussels, amanye amazwe aseYurophu sele esebenze. IHungary, iLithuania kunye nePoland kutshanje yazisa ukubhaliswa okunyanzelekileyo. Kodwa amatshantliziyo kula mazwe athi le nkqubo ayikabi nampumelelo ingako ukuza kuthi ga ngoku.
U-Adam Foldes, ophuma kwi-Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, uqikelela ukuba bangaphantsi kwesiqingatha abaphembeleli belizwe lakhe ababhalisileyo. 'Urhulumente unabantu abayi-176 kuphela ababhalisiweyo kunye nemibutho abathi bathathe inxaxheba kwizenzo ezingama-26 zokuphembelela. Uninzi lwazo lwanikezela ngeefomu ezingabhalwanga. Kwaye ndiyazi ukuba abona baphembeleli bokwenene, abona basebenza kakhulu, abakabhalisi,' uxelele iCorpWatch. Urhulumente waseHungary unegunya lokuwisa izohlwayo eziya kuthi ga kwi-Euro 40,000 ($56,000) kodwa okwangoku akakahlawuli nanye.
U-Pratap Chatterjee lilungu lebhodi yeengcebiso kwi-Corporate Europe Observatory, eyahlawula uhambo lwakhe oluya kwiindibano zePalamente yaseYurophu. Ukwalawula umhleli weCorpWatch.
I-ZNetwork ixhaswa ngemali kuphela ngesisa sabafundi bayo.
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