Round table and seminar on role of the media ahead of EP elections

“Decision-making in the EU should be brought closer to the citizens, as Croatia’s successful EU membership depends on all of us...

“Decision-making in the EU should be brought closer to the citizens, as Croatia’s successful EU membership depends on all of us. We need to get citizens more involved in European processes through better communication and information about European topics,” said Assistant Minister Hrvoje Marušić in his address to representatives of the media, civil society and academic community gathered at the round table on “Strengthening the Role of the European Parliament and the Citizens’ Voice in the EU”, held 15 March in Osijek. The round table, which saw the participation of Chairman of the Croatian Parliament’s European Affairs Committee Daniel Mondekar, Head of the European Parliament’s Information Office Violeta Simeonova Staničić and GONG’s Marina Škrabalo, was the last in the series of round tables and seminars titled “Get Informed and Make a Difference” ahead of the EP elections.

Marušić said the Croatian citizens needed to be informed more thoroughly and substantially now that Croatia is a full-fledged member of the EU, as our responsibility was dual – we are responsible for the way Croatia is to realize its interests in the EU as well as for the lives of the citizens of the other 20 member states, as we influence the creation of common policies, legislature and common vision. In terms of the Lisbon Treaty, we need to continue to work on brining the EU closer to the citizens, applying in full the principle of subsidiarity. Goals need to be defined on the EU level, while the implementation of those goals should be left to the member states, respecting their national, regional and local particularities.

Mondekar underlined that the European Affairs Committee actively cooperated with the Government in creating Croatia’s European policy and on the European level launched and participated in a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening the role of national parliaments in the EU. He urged the citizens and media to get informed about the EU legislature and processes in order through successfully realize and protect their interests though lobbyist channels. Mondekar called for the citizens to actively influence EU policies though their EMPs and participate in the open sessions of the Croatian Parliament and its committees, urging them to show their responsibility by voting at the elections.

Regarding the low turnout at the previous EP election, Marina Škrabalo from GONG pointed out that the election day was a reflection of the institutions’ communication with the citizens. She said political parties had to inform, not manipulate the voters. GONG plans to organize a debate on 19 March with candidates from the relevant tickets (according to pubic surveys). She also announced that GONG would be particularly watchful of hate speech at the EP elections.

Simeonova Stančić said that 400 million Europeans will take part in the elections and their duty was to elect educated, strong and influential people who will know how to assess the importance of certain decisions and topics.

On 14 May a seminar was held in Osijek for national and local reporters, at which addresses on the EU institutional system and EP elections were delivered by Violeta Simeonova Staničić, Antonio Tanca from the EU Council’s General Secretariat, Vice-Rector of the West University of Timisoara Dan. D. Lazea and Globus Brussels reporter and Euroreport editor Ines Sabalić.

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