May 15, 2008

The forum was organized by the Bulgarian Economic and Social Council on the initiative of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria.

The execution of the authority of parliaments to participate in the process of drafting the European Union legislation is dependent to a great extent on the active dialogue with the civil society structures, noticed the Chairman of the National assembly. We have to make the process of consultations, analysis and observation of the issues related to the Lisbon Treaty and the Fundamental Rights Chart a constant practice and in this way to translate the discussions into legislative acts and to formulate the positions of parliament. The positions could afterwards be voiced and defended before the institutions of the European Union, stressed Georgi Pirinski. In his opinion the Bulgarian institutions and civil society structures face the task to coordinate and agree on the positions taken by the Bulgarian participants in the European Economic and Social Committee on European level and the stands of the Bulgarian parliament.

There is no a more important issue for every member country of the European Union that to convey in a clear way what this membership is all about and what it means for the citizens' individual rights respectively. He mentioned, that it is largely agreed, that the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union is the most elaborate listing of fundamental rights. Our understanding of the Charter goes through the Treaty of Lisbon, added Georgi Pirinski.

The member countries’ governments are aware of the necessity to help their citizens in the process of building a consciousness for unity in the framework of Europe. One step further in this direction could be to seek larger authority for parliaments to express opinions over draft legislation of the European Commission and the debate in the Council of Europe and the Union.
This task could only be successful if parliaments are in an active dialogue with the structures of the civil society in their own countries, added Mr. Pirinski.

Lalko Dulevski, President of the Bulgarian Economic and Social Council noticed that the conference is held on the eve of May 19th marking the 50th Anniversary since the foundation of the European Social and Economic Council. This anniversary was the cause for the forum, organized together with the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions. The subject discussed is important to all Europeans. The conference was attended by members of the European Economic and Social Council, representatives of the executive, of the presidency, of the civil society structures and experts.