On 6 November 2026, as part of the 32nd Tirana International Fair, the Information and Data Protection Commissioner’s Office organised a panel entitled “Lobbying and Business: Transparent Representation of Interests in Public Decision-Making.”
Following the entry into force of Law No. 12/2026 “On Lobbying in the Republic of Albania” and the adoption of its implementing bylaws, the panel provided a platform for dialogue among public institutions, chambers of commerce and civil society on the new rules governing lobbying and their practical implementation.
Rovena Sulstarova, Director General for the Right to Information at the Commissioner’s Office, addressed transparency obligations, the registration of lobbying activities and the supervisory role of the Commissioner.
Silvana Ramadani, Adviser at the Ministry of Public Administration, spoke about integrity in public decision-making and the importance of dialogue with the business community.
Ardita Seknaj, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce in Albania, and Albana Karapanço, Chair of the Legal, Regulatory and Intellectual Property Rights Committee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Albania, presented the business community’s perspective on the transparent representation of interests before public institutions.
Redi Ametllari, Researcher at the Institute for Democracy and Mediation, addressed the role of civil society in advocating for the public interest and promoting transparency in decision-making.
The panellists acknowledged the role and efforts of the Commissioner’s Office in raising awareness of the new legal framework on lobbying. The discussion, moderated by Joniada Koçi, Media Adviser at the Commissioner’s Cabinet, continued with questions and an exchange of views with participants.
The Commissioner’s Office also took part in the panel “Artificial Intelligence for Business Growth”, organised as part of the Business and Industry Forum, represented by Besa Velaj, Director of the Commissioner’s Cabinet. During the discussion, she addressed the protection of personal data in the use of artificial intelligence by businesses, human oversight of AI-assisted decisions, and the importance of complying with personal data protection rules.
