The Conference was opened by the Macedonian Assembly President, Trajko Veljanoski, followed by opening addresses by Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Fatmir Besimi and the ambassadors of the USA, Germany and EU to Macedonia, Secretary General Diogo Pinto and representatives of the European Movement in the countries of the region.
As the moderator of the first panel of the Conference, Deputy Speaker Comic said that every country has its legal tradition and system and that the parliaments should become more involved with addressing the citizens’ problems and take responsibility for it. Problems cannot be addressed without awareness of their existence and by copying the experiences of other EU member states, but rather through dialogue and exchange of experience, added Comic. The key problem all the countries share is the citizens’ lack of trust in the politicians and that they, as the elected representatives of the people, would work for the common good and wellbeing. When we feel that the citizens are living better, we will know that we have done the right thing as politicians, concluded Deputy Speaker Comic.
The participants of the Conference agreed that it is important that all the segments of society take active part in the European integration process by employing the principle of partnership in addressing the region’s common problems. The continual strengthening of the parliament as the true representative of the will of the people, and equal participation of the civil society and non-governmental sector, contribute to the consolidation of democracy and the rule of law in the states in the region.
The participants emphasised the role of independent state authorities, organisations and bodies which strive to influence the work of governmental institutions by their recommendations, but at the same time they stressed that there is no clear institutional framework for the implementation of said recommendations. They also opined that regional cooperation of parliaments, civil society and independent regulatory bodies toward overcoming differences and fighting all types of discrimination should be promoted.
At the end of the Conference, the participants adopted a Joint Statement pointing out that parliaments play a crucial role in democratic societies and that their importance will grow with each step forward taken on the road to EU accession. At the same time, the role of civil and non-governmental organisations and independent state bodies and their cooperation is an important indicator of the progress a society makes on its way toward European integration.
The Conference was organised as part of the Macedonian chairmanship of the SEECP Parliamentary Dimension, by the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia and the European Movement, with the support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, USAID and NDI.