On Aug. 30 TV Nova broadcast a hidden-camera video that appears to show Doležel asking for a 5 million Kč ($206,000) bribe from Polish lobbyist Jacek Spyra. See story, page A1.

Adriana Krnáčová, director of Transparency International Czech Republic, said the country needs rules to push lobbyists like Spyra either out of politics or into the public spotlight.

Seta Trade, a Czech company for which Spyra had worked, denied any recent connection to him. Czech newspapers allege connections to Polish security forces. No listing for Spyra appears in the telephone directory.

"Nobody knows who these lobbyists are," Krnačová said. "They are the strangest people in Parliament."

Furthermore, she noted, "They are not obliged to register in Parliament. ... Their meetings with politicians are not recorded. No association of lobbyists exists."

Like most former Eastern bloc countries, and like many countries elsewhere, the Czech Parliament does not track lobbyists. Proposals last year to create at least a code of ethics for politicians to follow in dealing with lobbyists have gone unanswered.

"A code of ethics wouldn't be a fix all," Krnáčová said. "But it would be a step toward cultivating a transparent lobbying environment."

In the United States lobbyists must register with Congress, as well as disclose whom they work for and record what senators and congressmen they meet with.

Other countries in Western Europe, including Germany and the United Kingdom, enforce less stringent lobby laws, according to Jan Růžička, a lecturer at Charles University currently writing a study on lobbying in Central Europe.

Růžička advocates three measures to make Czech lobbying more transparent: legislation that sets regulations, a code of ethics and changes in parliamentary procedure to reduce the influence of lobbyists.

"Creating a lobbying registry is the best option," he said. "But many are skeptical such a law would pass. Failing this, we at least need an ethical code. A third option is to pass a law requiring amendments to laws to be suggested by groups rather than single deputies. As it stands individuals can make last-minute changes to bills, which means lobbyists can change laws through one person."

Růžička said it is difficult to gauge how much influence lobbyists exercise over Czech legislation since many lobbyists work in the metaphorical shadows and their interest in bills varies. Several well-publicized cases, however, suggest that lobbyists wield enormous control.

Former Culture Minister Pavel Dostál, who died of cancer in August, told newspapers this spring that a media law adopted by Parliament seemed an exact copy of a proposal he had seen from lobbyists working for TV stations.

On Aug. 20, 2004, Freedom Union deputy Zdeněk Kořistka alleged that the head of the opposition Civic Democrats (ODS) offered him nearly $400,000 to cast a no-confidence vote against the government.

Following this Parliament Chairman Lubomír Zaorálek called for a code of ethics clarifying lobbying, bribery and interparty relations. The proposal has languished for over a year.

ODS spokesman Jiří Sezemský called the code "a farce with no major support." ODS shadow Finance Minister Vlastimil Tlustý likewise said a code would not have prevented attempts to bribe the government in the Unipetrol privatization since such bribery is already illegal. "This is a simple corruption case," he said.

Růžička said some lobbyists say they would welcome laws or codes that would distinguish between the legitimate goal of informing legislators and advocating sound policies and the illegitimate underworld of vote buying and influence peddling.

"They don't want to have to be embarrassed to tell people what they do," Růžička said. "They don't want to be mistaken for criminals."