Video recording – “Europe’s role in the world by 2020 – the civic vision” – a voxbox discussion

Short description: A presentation of the book “Europe 2020 – Civic Vision”, followed by a discussion about the future of Europe on the international scene, its relations with Russia and the energy policy, with the participation of young European citizens, Members of the European Parliament, of the Committee of the Regions, and representatives of civil-society organizations, as well as young citizens from Bulgaria. This event took place in partnership with MEP Kristian Vigenin.

The voxbox debate was moderated by Ognian Boyadjiev, editor in chief of Europe Gateway www.europe.bg – a 4-language online media, based in Sofia, covering the European policies and Bulgaria’s participation into them.

Among the participants were MEP Kristian Vigenin – Chairman of the EP Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly (i.e. the Eastern Partnership: the Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia), coordinator of the S&D Group in the Committee on foreign Affairs in the EP, Member of the Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, as well as CoR Member Vladimir Kissiov – Member of the Bureau of the EPP group in the Committee of the Regions, former Deputy foreign minister and chief negotiator of Bulgaria with the EU, at present also Municipal Councilor of Sofia Municipality.

The book “Europe 2020 – Civic Vision” was presented by Tihomira Trifonova – expert and analyst at the Bulgarian civil-society organization Center for Policy Modernization, editor of the book.

This book was presented for the first time in Brussels in April, with the financial support of DG Communication of the EP through a project, entitled "Interacting with the European Parliament", which is implemented by Bulgarian non-governmental organizations European Institute and Centre for Policy Modernization. The book offers a summary of the two-year campaign that aimed at promoting the interaction between the European citizens and the Parliament.

Students in political and European sciences from Bulgaria, part of a visitors group to the EP, who are in Brussels at the invitation of Kristian Vigenin MEP, after having competed for the annual “Europe Scholarship”, granted by Vigenin MEP through a national essay competition, were among the audience, located in the special audience area, with a separate microphone available for them to ask questions and express opinions.