site.btaNational Assembly Chair Tsacheva Addresses Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament at UN Headquarters

National Assembly Chair Tsacheva Addresses Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament at UN Headquarters


New York, September 1 (BTA) - The challenges and risks that the countries in SE Europe face today make it necessary to stress on the regional dimensions of sustainable development goals. The connection with the processes in the Black Sea region, the Middle East and North Africa increases even more the responsibility to undertake effective action to make democracy a supreme guarantee for the preservation of peace and sustainable development focused on man, National Assembly Chair Tsetska Tsacheva said, addressing the participants in the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament. The forum is convened by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and is held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from August 31 to September 2, the National Assembly said Tuesday.

Addressing the participants in the conference, Tsacheva underscored that the process of globalization is not overall and does not develop at identical rates, but rather transition zones between quickly developing regions and the other parts of the world are developing, clearly outlined by the present migration processes. Both historically and politically, Bulgaria has s specific place in contemporary dialogue between cultures and civilizations in accordance with the traditions of the region. Bulgaria's answer to the challenges looming by the growing migration wave is related to its traditional role of competent mediator in a space of cultural variety and dialogue.

The National Assembly Chair confirmed that Bulgaria has the will and the competence to develop further the regional dimension of SDGs through active cooperation within the IPU. She suggested that the Outcome Document to be adopted by the conference should also include the regional dimensions of the process to achieve the Millennium Goals.

Tsacheva also dwelt on the challenges before the legislative process to be transparent, understandable and accessible to the public. If public skepticism and mistrust in public institutions are not overcome no progress can be made, she pointed out and confirmed the will of Bulgarian institutions to continue their efforts to adapt SDGs at national level and to boost their institutionalization, with a stress on dialogue with young people. In the world of high-tech young people form and share a new political culture, which is more critical, more sensitive to the honesty of politicians and much more susceptible to radical ideology and populism. It is the duty of parliamentarians to find new forms of dialogue with them in the name of the future, she declared.

The conference was officially opened by IPU President Saber Chowdhury and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Forest Whitaker, actor, humanist and UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation, delivered a keynote address to the conference. Panels include "Parliamentary oversight: challenges and opportunities", and "Translating the SDGs into action".

At the end of the Conference, participants will be invited to adopt an Outcome Document.