Strengthening Europe’s digital sovereignty, developing European artificial intelligence and protecting personal data were among the issues discussed by Bulgarian participants in the second session of the European Citizens’ Panel on Democratic Resilience, held online from October 16 to 18.
Mihaela Koleva from Yambol, Gabriela Karadzhonova-Malcheva from Plovdiv, Stefan Rusev from Ivaylovgrad and Alexander Stoev from Stara Zagora were among 150 citizens randomly selected from the EU’s 27 Member States to take part in the panel.
The HALO Foundation, headed by Kristina Yordanova, was certified to select the Bulgarian representatives.
Over the three-day session, participants discussed ways for Europe to strengthen control over the technologies it relies on, develop its own artificial intelligence capabilities and improve protection of EU citizens’ data.
Karadzhonova-Malcheva said the breadth of the issues and the volume of information made the work challenging, while experts from the European Commission helped participants identify priorities and formulate recommendations. She also highlighted the opportunity to hear different perspectives and learn from citizens of other EU countries. She said active civic engagement was essential to democratic resilience and that citizens themselves had a responsibility to remain informed and involved in developments in their countries and across Europe.
Koleva stressed the importance of public awareness, active civic participation and holding institutions accountable. She also pointed to the need for Europe to become more technologically independent and make personal data protection a key priority.
Rusev said discussions focused on increasing European control over technologies on which the continent depends. In his view, developing European AI could improve data protection and reduce the risk of information being transferred outside the EU.
During the session, participants compared their priorities with measures under the European Democracy Shield and discussed possible solutions with experts. The work took place in thematic groups and plenary discussions via the Interactio online platform.
The first session was held in Brussels from September 18 to 20. Participants discussed factors that strengthen trust in democracy, the main threats facing democratic systems and ways for citizens to become more involved in decision-making.
Four priority areas emerged: opportunities for civic participation, narrowing the distance between citizens and institutions, information and technology, and strengthening social cohesion. These were divided into 12 themes, including civic education, political accountability, trust in institutions, independent journalism, fact-checking and the impact of artificial intelligence.
The third and final session is scheduled for November 20-22 in Brussels. Participants will finalize and vote on their recommendations before presenting them to the European Commission. The proposals will be compiled in a citizens’ report intended to contribute to the Commission’s work on strengthening democracy.
Bulgarian Participants in EU Citizens’ Panel Discuss Europe’s Digital Sovereignty, AI 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-10-18 13:51:00
Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Budapest Seeks to Strengthen Ties with Hungarian Society
World news, international news, global news, latest world news, breaking world news, world politics, international politics. Global economy, international business, world markets, global events, international relations, geopolitical news, global affairs. Europe news, European news, EU news, European politics, Balkan news, United States news, UK news, Asia news. Bulgarians abroad, Bulgarian diaspora, Bulgarians overseas, Bulgarian communities abroad, Bulgarian citizens abroad, Bulgarian expats, Bulgarian emigrants. Bulgarian diaspora news, news for Bulgarians abroad, Bulgaria abroad, Bulgarians in Europe, Bulgarians in Germany, Bulgarians in the UK. Bulgarians in Spain, Bulgarians in Italy, Bulgarians in France, Bulgarians in the USA, Bulgarians in Canada, Bulgarians in Greece. Bulgarian communities worldwide, Bulgarian schools abroad, Bulgarian culture abroad, Bulgarian businesses abroad, Bulgarian students abroad, Bulgarian workers abroad. Consular services Bulgaria, Bulgarian embassies, Bulgarian citizens overseas, Bulgarian elections abroad, Bulgarian voting abroad, Bulgarian nationals abroad, Bulgaria international relations.
BULGARIA NEWS – NEWS AGENCY 2009–2026 2026-10-18 13:51:00
Leave a Comment