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National Assembly
of the Republic of Bulgaria
of the Republic of Bulgaria
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“The European Citizens’ Initiative – a new opportunity for the citizens after the Lisbon Treaty”
02/12/2010
On the eve of the 1st Lisbon Treaty Anniversary, the Council on Public Consultations to the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds discussed the new instrument of direct democracy – the European Citizens’ Initiative* .
The 4thsession of the Council on Public Consultations was inaugurated by the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria, Ms. Tsetska Tsatcheva. She congratulated the Committee on the choice of topical issues which brings the Bulgarian agenda closer to the European one and on the active participation through the Council’s discussions in the decision-making process at EU level. Ms. Tsatcheva assured that civil society in Bulgaria is sufficiently active and would be able to promote direct democracy, whose instrument is the ECI. The President reaffirmed that the new initiative, introduced by the Lisbon Treaty would mean “a more citizens’ Europe”.
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Council on European Affairs, Konstantin Dimitrov outlined the main parameters of the Bulgarian Framework position on the draft Regulation on ECI, stipulating that it has been really important to keep a balance between freedom & democratic opportunities for civil participation, on the one hand, and the potential abuses of such initiatives, on the other hand.
The Ambassadors of the Member States within the Triple Presidency of the EU consolidated their opinions around the statement that the ECI would be the first cross-border instrument of direct democracy and it shall be further developed during the forthcoming Hungarian EU Presidency.
Particularly interesting was the presentation of Ms. Monika Panayotova, Chairwoman of the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds. In her opinion, the EU citizens do not feel dissatisfaction but the interest of the public in the EU affairs decreases (the voter turnout at the last European Parliament elections was less than 50% in 2/3 of the Member States). Despite the decreasing public interest, the Treaty of Lisbon gives more power to the European Parliament. This paradox has to be resolved and the citizens should feel closer to the EU policy-making. The civil participation needs to be stimulated not only in times of elections, but also through mechanisms such as the ECI. That’s why the national debates on EU policies should emerge as soon as possible, so that the positions adopted could be adequately considered in the decision-making process at EU level.
Ms. Panayotova pointed out a few challenges that the Triple Presidency should face: to promote the ECI, destroy the artificial wall between the European and the national political stages and stimulate the national political debates to start as early as possible. According to her, there is no time to lose in bringing the European agenda closer to the citizens, so that the result would become visible by the next EP elections.
The appeal for a more active civil society was supported by Ms. Anna Krasteva, Head of the Political Sciences Department at New Bulgarian University. In her opinion, it is essential to involve young people in similar discussions via the internet, which they find most convenient.
The members of the Council on Public Consultations had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the debates on the ECI within the European Commission and the European Parliament. Ms. Zinaida Zlatanova, Head of the Representation of the European Commission in Bulgaria, explained that the proposal for a draft regulation on the ECI ignited wide debates in the European Institutions. The consultations were extensive and almost 300 opinions on the regulation were expressed. According to Ms. Zlatanova, the most important aspect of the ECI is its political significance, because it would send an alert for the citizens’ problems and concerns not only to the European politicians but to the national ones as well.
Ms. Violeta Stanichich, Head of the Information Office of the European Parliament presented the steps within the EP that the ECI Regulation went through. She emphasized on the difference between the right of petition to the EP and the right of ECI, defining the second as a positive civil influence on the EU legislation. The only negative issue, regarding the ECI was the fact that an amendment by our MEP Maria Nedelcheva, concerning the right to finance the ECI by Political Parties, was not accepted.
Mr. Kamen Kolev, Chairman of the Council agreed that the ECI has to remain an instrument of the civil society and shouldn’t bear any political or economic impact.
Still to come is the European Parliament vote on the ECI draft Regulation, scheduled for mid-December. During the Hungarian EU Presidency, the Member States should take measures for the correct implementation of the Regulation and adapt their national legislation in order to fulfill the criteria for ECI initiation and support.
*The European Citizens’ Initiative is one of the major innovations of the Treaty of Lisbon aiming to foster participatory democracy in the European Union. It enables one million EU citizens from ¼ Member States, to call directly upon the European Commission to put forward a law initiative within its legislative powers.
The 4thsession of the Council on Public Consultations was inaugurated by the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria, Ms. Tsetska Tsatcheva. She congratulated the Committee on the choice of topical issues which brings the Bulgarian agenda closer to the European one and on the active participation through the Council’s discussions in the decision-making process at EU level. Ms. Tsatcheva assured that civil society in Bulgaria is sufficiently active and would be able to promote direct democracy, whose instrument is the ECI. The President reaffirmed that the new initiative, introduced by the Lisbon Treaty would mean “a more citizens’ Europe”.
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Council on European Affairs, Konstantin Dimitrov outlined the main parameters of the Bulgarian Framework position on the draft Regulation on ECI, stipulating that it has been really important to keep a balance between freedom & democratic opportunities for civil participation, on the one hand, and the potential abuses of such initiatives, on the other hand.
The Ambassadors of the Member States within the Triple Presidency of the EU consolidated their opinions around the statement that the ECI would be the first cross-border instrument of direct democracy and it shall be further developed during the forthcoming Hungarian EU Presidency.
Particularly interesting was the presentation of Ms. Monika Panayotova, Chairwoman of the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds. In her opinion, the EU citizens do not feel dissatisfaction but the interest of the public in the EU affairs decreases (the voter turnout at the last European Parliament elections was less than 50% in 2/3 of the Member States). Despite the decreasing public interest, the Treaty of Lisbon gives more power to the European Parliament. This paradox has to be resolved and the citizens should feel closer to the EU policy-making. The civil participation needs to be stimulated not only in times of elections, but also through mechanisms such as the ECI. That’s why the national debates on EU policies should emerge as soon as possible, so that the positions adopted could be adequately considered in the decision-making process at EU level.
Ms. Panayotova pointed out a few challenges that the Triple Presidency should face: to promote the ECI, destroy the artificial wall between the European and the national political stages and stimulate the national political debates to start as early as possible. According to her, there is no time to lose in bringing the European agenda closer to the citizens, so that the result would become visible by the next EP elections.
The appeal for a more active civil society was supported by Ms. Anna Krasteva, Head of the Political Sciences Department at New Bulgarian University. In her opinion, it is essential to involve young people in similar discussions via the internet, which they find most convenient.
The members of the Council on Public Consultations had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the debates on the ECI within the European Commission and the European Parliament. Ms. Zinaida Zlatanova, Head of the Representation of the European Commission in Bulgaria, explained that the proposal for a draft regulation on the ECI ignited wide debates in the European Institutions. The consultations were extensive and almost 300 opinions on the regulation were expressed. According to Ms. Zlatanova, the most important aspect of the ECI is its political significance, because it would send an alert for the citizens’ problems and concerns not only to the European politicians but to the national ones as well.
Ms. Violeta Stanichich, Head of the Information Office of the European Parliament presented the steps within the EP that the ECI Regulation went through. She emphasized on the difference between the right of petition to the EP and the right of ECI, defining the second as a positive civil influence on the EU legislation. The only negative issue, regarding the ECI was the fact that an amendment by our MEP Maria Nedelcheva, concerning the right to finance the ECI by Political Parties, was not accepted.
Mr. Kamen Kolev, Chairman of the Council agreed that the ECI has to remain an instrument of the civil society and shouldn’t bear any political or economic impact.
Still to come is the European Parliament vote on the ECI draft Regulation, scheduled for mid-December. During the Hungarian EU Presidency, the Member States should take measures for the correct implementation of the Regulation and adapt their national legislation in order to fulfill the criteria for ECI initiation and support.
*The European Citizens’ Initiative is one of the major innovations of the Treaty of Lisbon aiming to foster participatory democracy in the European Union. It enables one million EU citizens from ¼ Member States, to call directly upon the European Commission to put forward a law initiative within its legislative powers.
