Green Candidate Strasbourg Mayor Barsheghian Endorses EF Project on Citizen/MEP Debate before EU Act

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- The currently Most Popular (according to Polls) Candidate for Strasboug's New Mayor, Armenian-origin "Green", Jeanne Barsheghian, speaking to "Eurofora" Both on 4 and 9 March 2020, Expressed, in a Crystal-clear way, her "Total Agreement" with "Eurofora"s Project for EU Citizens' Dialogue with MEPs Before Important Final EU Decisions Affecting People's Lives and/or Society at large are taken at Full Plenary Sessions here, Each Month, in order to Strengthen Modern European Democracy.

+ In this regard, She Also Added an Interesting Point concerning Relevant Cooperation also Between several European Cities Networked with Strasbourg, (and, probably, Brussels, too)

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     - "Eurofora"s 1st Question, (at a Brief exclusive Interview given After a Collective Debate among All Candidates, at the Prestigious "International Library Kleber", on March 4) evoked "European affairs", and, after observing the Fact of various "Green" Alliances in several EU Countries, including Austria, Germany, etc., also Together with ChristianDemocrats/EPP, (even at Strasbourg's Neighbour "Baden-Wurttenberg" Länder, etc), pointed at some MEPs' alleged Preferences for EU Parliament's work in Brussels and/or Strasbourg, stressing that "it's Not Only about Transports" etc, "But Also about Press Impact".

- So that "certain Projects (as "Eurofora"s, since 2006/2007+) aim to Create (MEPs') Public Debates with Citizens Before the Plenary Sessions", "i.e. Before Important Final Decisions are taken", "usually in Strasbourg, since here (Traditionaly) Concludes almost everything" in EU Parliament's decision-making process, "After having been Prepared in Brussels, to which due Attention should also be paid". For that purpose, f.ex., the Previous Friday, "Saturday or Sunday could be used", We Suggested.

- "In Strasbourg ?", she proposed the Candidate New Mayor of the City.

- "Naturally, but Not Only, since with Today's New Communication Technologies, it could be Even for those EU Citizens who might be staying up to Scandinavia !", "Eurofora" added, More Widely.

- "Certainly", Barsheghian reacted Positively.

- "I Absolutely Agree with that !", she clearly Welcomed in Reply.

+ By the way, " I've just said at a Debate about EU Parliament", "that we should Engage More the Citizens also of Strasbourg on European Issues". "F.ex., when (EU's) Free Trade Treaties are Discussed, some have the Impression that it's something which exists Far Away, While, in Fact, it's going to have a Direct Impact in People's Everyday Lives !", she observed.

_- So "I Wish that such EU Debates could involve (EU) Citizens, in our City". That's why, "I took the Commitment for, at least 1 Debate per Month, inside the City Counil's Room, on EU Parliament", Barsheghian proposed.

- "But, that Should be done Before the Plenary" session's Final Decisions, "Eurofora" Clearly suggested.

- "Thank you for that", she Kindly Concluded this conversation, Smiling.

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 + A Good Chance to Develop that Discussion Further with "Eurofora", was offered, just a Few Days Later, On March 9, when Barseghian spoke at "Cathedral's Circle", hosted at Hôtel "Cathedral", facing Strasbourg's Most Famous and Greatest Monument :

- Initialy, she stressed, there, that she "Believe(s) in the Values of Experimentation" and "Illustration", reiterating her Wish for "a Great Debate, with EU Experts (MEPs ?) and Open to Everybody", in order "to Explain, have a Pedagogic effect" on European Issues, "Each Month".

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=> This Incited a Question on "certain Pre-Existing Projects", as that of "Eurofora", proposing to Organise Debates, the Week Before (Final) Decisions are taken in Strasbourg (Full Week Plenary Sessions), Not Only for Information (of the Society), But Also with an Active Participation of Citizens, who would Express their Opinions about (imminent) Decisions which Affect their Lives (and/or Society at large)".

- For that purpose, "Internet and other New (Communication) Technologies, could be used, as well as "in situ", involving Hotels, (Associations), etc., while that would Also be of great Interest to many Medias (not only 1 or 2 alone) and MEPs, Attracting several Journalists"

+ Particularly if "such Debates would take place In View of ForthComing Decisions, With the Participation of (EU) Citizens in the Decision-Making Process, and a Duty (or Commitment, for EU Politicians), to Reply to the People Affected by those (EU) Decisions, in a way respecting, at least, Basic (Legal/Human Rights') Principles, as that of Proportionality, etc", "Eurofora" suggested.

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>>> - "I Entirely Agree With You on that Point !", Barseghian Positively Replied to the above-mentioned "Eurofora"s Question.

- Indeed, "Everything like that, which Would Strengthen (EU) Citizens' Appropriation" of Main Topical EU Issues, "Anything which Would Facilitate their Participation to Those Debates, would Also ReinForce the European Democracy, and, De Facto, European Parliament's Role, Because, in Fact, We are Speaking about that" : I.e. "the European Democracy's Importance", she Rightfully observed.

- In this regard, "there are a Lot of (Pertinent) Debates, f.ex., as that of Free Trade (International) Agreements, the Debate about the Common Agricultural Policy, with Huge Implications (also) on Our Food, Urban and/or Regional Planning, our Peasants, etc., which are Fundamental Issues Affecting Our EveryDay Lives", Barseghian concretely illustrated, inter alia.

=> In Consequence, "as far as I am concerned, I  Fully Agree with What You ("Eurofora") Propose, that is to say, Previous (EU) Citizens' Debates, which would Allow for Everybody to Participate".

+ "And", Moreover, "I Wish for Strasbourg's City, Together With all Other (European) Cities with which it Works in Network, to Facilitate, and Even Organize those Debates, which would Allow to Feed the European Democratic Debate" in Wider terms, she interestingly Suggested, in Addition.

=> - "In Conclusion, myself, I Entirely Agree with that !", Barseghian clearly Reiterated.

- Indeed, as she had already Stressed Earlier, as a matter of General Principle, "I Believe in Democratic Debate" and "Citizens' Participation".

(../..)

("Draft News")

(NDLR : "Eurofora"s 2 Questions were Raised

by Angelo Marcopolo on March 4, and by Eugenie Marcopolo on March 9).

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