Analysis of national legislation in the context of counteracting the activities of agents of influence as one of the methods of covert lobbying

Within the framework of the article, attempts to regulate lobbying activities in Ukraine from the moment of its independence until February 2024 are analyzed. The advantages and risks that business and civil society organizations can expect with the implementation of the Law of Ukraine «On Lobbying» are disclosed. It was noted that the legislative regulation of lobbying activities with the introduction of restrictions for individuals and legal entities of the state carrying out armed aggression against Ukraine acts as one of the mechanisms for countering destructive external influence. It is noted that the regulation of various aspects of lobbying activity, in addition to a special law, is actually carried out by a number of other normative legal acts that generally ensure the functioning of the institution of lobbying in Ukraine. The needs for improvement of the Law of Ukraine «On Lobbying» have been identified in the aspects of: clarity of the conceptual apparatus; distinguishing between lobbying activities and public participation in decision-making by public authorities; responsibility of lobbyists; definition of the rights and obligations of lobbying objects; control activities of the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, etc. It is emphasized that the organizational forms of work of agents of influence, as well as their status, make it practically impossible to create a reliable system for countering their activities, and the adoption of the Law of Ukraine «On Lobbying» does not solve all issues. The author identified directions for increasing the effectiveness of the mechanism for countering destructive external influence by introducing international practice in Ukraine to ensure the transparent activity of public associations with foreign support (financing), as well as introducing additional categories of persons who are prohibited from holding positions related to the performance of functions state or local government. It was emphasized that the most acceptable way of implementing such a mechanism is the adoption of the law «On Combating External Influence» with the granting of the appropriate legal status to such persons and organizations in Ukraine.