Duma 1st v.President Melnikov to EuroFora: Citizens to be better heard in Parliaments via New Tech.+

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- Russian Parliament (Duma)'s 1st vice-President, Ivan Melnikov, experienced former MEP and f. Chairman of CoE Assembly's Science/Research Committee (comp. previous INTW of Chairman Melnikov to "EuroFora"s co-Founder on RST issues), speaking to "EuroFora" on the occasion of CoE's 2012 Bi-Annual Parliaments Presidents' Summit, stressed the need for Citizens' voice to be better heard in Parliaments' decision making process, including through innovative uses of Modern Information/Communication Technologies.
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  - "EuroFora" questioned Duma's 1st vice-President on what he finds to be "the most Important point" in  the core debate of CoE's National Parliaments' Presidents' Summit on the so-called "Crisis" of traditional Parliamentarism and the Future of Democracy, particularly concerning Citizens' active participation in Public Decision making processes, throughout all 48 Countries in the PanEuropean Organization.

    - "Indeed, my main Message to this (CoE's) Summit is concerning this issue", immediately reacted, a smiling Melnikov, with obvious interest.

    - "It may seem that we, Parliamentarias, Represent People". Therefore, "we (MPs) should make such Decisions which Reflect the Wishes  of the People, and in such Ways that could Satisfy the People",

    - "Because, otherwise, we see that Decisions made by the Parliaments are very Far from the Expectations of the People", he criticized.

    => That's why, "we need to close that Gap, by bringing the sides Closer", Melnikov advised.
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    - "I.e. including, perhaps, by giving a chance for interested Citizens' to Communicate with Parliamentarians before important Decisions are due to be taken which affect their lives, "EuroFora" further asked Melnikov ?"

    - "Yes  ! This is one of the Instruments to Solve that Problem". In fact, as "I'll be telling" at this CoE Parliaments' Summit, "this is one of the Main tools", positively replied in agreement with "EuroFora"'s concrete suggestion, Russian Duma's 1st vice-President.
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     - "It is Essential for every .. Parliament to ... reflect the True Sentiments of Citizens, in the Law-Making work". For that purpose, "in an Information Society, .. there are ample Opportunities, including Technology, to take into account the Broadest Spectrum of Voices", Melnikov stressed today during CoE National Parliaments' Presidents' Summit, coming very close to "EuroFora"s main 1997-2007 expressed idea in Strasbourg etc. for the need of Citizens' debates with Decision-makers before important Measures affecting their lives are to be taken, i.e. reviving the substance of Ancient Greek Civilisation's original Democracy, (with "the People in Assembly", etc), thanks also to Modern Information/Communication Technologies.

    - Adequate Instruments "include Constant Opinion Surveys, .. taking into account the Decisions of Trade Union Organizations and Work Collectives", etc., as far as Social Groups are concerned, but also "Analysis of Discussions at the Internet" (f.ex. in Forums, etc), as far as even Individual Citizens' expressed views are concerned. In all such cases, "the FeedBack Channels must be Improved by Developing the so-called "Electronic Parliament" Technologies", Melnikov added, (obviously coming a step closer to "EuroFora"'s 1997-2007 published initial project)..

    - Because "it's necessary ti make sure that Parliament is Not simply a branch of Power in a Confined system of running a State, but also an Open, Influential and Independent Intellectual Centre", as he pointed out.

    - Nowadays, Democratic "Legitimacy should not be established Once and for all dring Elections", i.e. only once in 5 Years, Melnikov noted. "To gain Genuine Legitimacy, one has to Confirm it Every Day, thrugh Regular Consultations with the Citizens", so that "the Parliamentary Mandate  will become both Political and also Moral". Thus, "the more strongly Parliaments reflect Citizens' feelings, the Easier it will become for any eventual Difficulties (about the so-called "Crisis of Representative Democracy") may be Overcome", as Duma's 1st vice-President concluded.
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    - Parliaments "must become more Open to Citizens, invest in Debates and other Vehicles of Participation, in order to refresh Representative Democracy, where Abstention is a Challenge that we need to Address", stressed earlier Italian Parliament's President Gian Carlo Fini, applauded.

    -  Because "the economic and financial Crisis exacerbates phenomena such as the erosion ofCcitizens’ confidence in institutional authority, loss of interest in elections and the tarnishing of politicians’ image in the public eye. Europe is therefore faced with the possibility of an even more serious threat: a threat to its fundamental values. A clear sign of this is the rise in euroscepticism, populism and extremism in several European countries. At the same time, new Popular movements are emerging, often in a spontaneous manner and on social networks.  They all require our attention".

    - "The Strasbourg (2O12) conference ..provide(s the opportunity to consider what can be done to ensure that elected representatives refocus on people’s real needs and concerns, and effectively transmit these concerns to all levels of government; how can they set an example in upholding fundamental values and not to give in to compromises and simplistic solutions for electoral purposes, what can be done to counter the populism and extremism which are gradually infiltrating our national parliaments through political parties who place themselves under their banner", observed CoE Assemblies President Jean-Claude Mignon.