site.btaEconomic and Social Council President: It Is Becoming Increasingly Urgent to Defend EU's Values

In hard times of wars and crises, it is becoming increasingly urgent to defend the European Union’s values, Economic and Social Council (ESC) in Bulgaria President Zornitsa Roussinova said here on Thursday. She was speaking at a round table on "Organized Civil Society through the Prism of the 2024 European Elections: Defending the Open Democratic Debate" dedicated to Europe Day.

The forum was attended by ESC members: representatives of trade unions, employers' organizations and NGOs, academics, members of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), European organizations, and the media, among others. They called on students at the University of National and World Economy, where the event was held, to vote in the European Parliament elections on June 9 and not to give in to radical political movements.

Addressing the participants in the event via video link, EESC President Oliver Ropke commented on the threats to democracy, such as misinformation, misleading information, and the interference of third parties in the democratic process. As serious problems facing Europe, Ropke identified the declining faith in democratic institutions, social polarization, growing hate speech, and the negative attitude towards certain social groups. In his words, there is a palpable despair caused by the rising cost of living, isolation, and a lack of compassion, empathy, and understanding. Ropke drew attention to the suffering of people in Ukraine, Gaza, and other conflict zones. He called on people to make their voices heard in the upcoming European elections, stressing that these elections are not a cure-all for their suffering but are the only way to demand a better future.