Skopje hosts Civil Forum on EU integration and democracy

A Civil Forum titled ‘Citizens at the Heart of the EU Enlargement Process’ is being held in Skopje to discuss the country’s European integration and the role of citizens in democratic processes. The event is organized by the European Parliament’s Committee on Democracy Support and Election Coordination in cooperation with the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia.

The forum includes 50 selected citizens, members of the European Parliament, national MPs, and experts. Assembly President Afrim Gashi opened the forum, emphasizing that participatory democracy requires citizens to be active participants in policy creation rather than mere observers.

Speakers included European Parliament members Lukas Mandl from Austria, Thomas Weizsäcker from Austria, and Branislav Ondruš from Slovakia. Mandl highlighted the forum as an example of participatory democracy in practice, while Weizsäcker addressed the necessity of openly tackling the country's current challenges.