A FIR student Natálie Češková performed in an NGO Market 2021 debate

In the beginning I was asked to introduce my thesis about the theoretic definition of lobbying. The debate was presented by Karel Škácha from the Foundation against corruption. I didn´t speak just about the lobbying definition, its types and techniques, but also about its distortion from the term corruption and fundraising. 

The program continued by the entry of individual deputies of organisation present at the debate. Tomáš Komm from People in Need, Pavel Přibyl from the Forum for development cooperation and Sabina Malcová from the Association for the democracy support and human rights. Each one of them spoke about their organization´s opinion about lobbying, how successfully they deal with it and how important role the lobbying activities play in the purpose of the organisation. 

Later, we spoke also about the international overlap of the lobbying. In connection with this topic, I mentioned the interview I made with the policy officer Ricardo Roba from the European confederation of relief and development. It was a crucial part for the results I came up with in my thesis. 

In conclusion, the debate made clear that lobbying of non-governmental organisations is one of their key instruments they often use. And, at least in case of DEMAS, it seems beneficial and politicians (in the role of decision-makers) appreciate the information from terrain or expertise the organisation can offer them.  

In my bachelor thesis, led by dr. Machoň and second read by dr. Vymětal, I focused on the approach of non-governmental participants and their participation in the development policy of EU. I wanted to outline the issue from the point of view of the non-governmental organizations which often intervene into the development policy of the Czech Republic or European Union, even though they don´t have a formal access to it. I realized semi-structuralized interviews with deputies of organizations – Tomáš Komm from People in Need, Klára Sutlovičová from the Czech Forum for the development cooperation and Ricardo Bora from CONCORD. 

The main goal of NGO in Czech Republic and worldwide is to implement project in the place of need: Why should they contribute to the lobbying? During the implementation, a very important expertise arises, which is also very important for the determinative authorities, if we take into account they need to decide “from the table” and therefore it is difficult for them to evaluate all impacts of their decisions.