In a joint statement on the occasion of Europe Day, the presidents of the EU Member States greeted Europeans and called for participation in the debate on the future of Europe

We need a strong and effective European Union to be a global leader in the transition to sustainable, climate neutral and digitally-supported development, declared the presidents of the 21 EU Member-States, among whom was the Bulgarian Head of State, Mr. Rumen Radev, in a joint message to EU citizens. They congratulated EU citizens on Europe Day, the 9th of May, and encouraged them to participate in the Conference on the Future of Europe – a series of discussions, allowing people from all over Europe to share their ideas and help form the Union’s common future.

The statement was supported by the Bulgarian Head of State, alongside the presidents of Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

The message also reads that since its creation, the EU still today continues to be a project for peace and reconciliation. “All the fundamental principles of European integration remain extremely relevant today: freedom, equality, respect for human rights, the rule of law and freedom of expression, solidarity, democracy and loyalty among the Member States,” the presidents declared. They pointed out that today Europeans face multiple challenges: from overcoming the climate crisis and creating green economies, while balancing with the growing competition among global players to striving for the digital transformation of our societies. “We will need to develop new methods and new solutions,” the message reads.

“Although the European Union may sometimes seem ill-equipped to face the many challenges that have arisen over the last decade – from the economic and financial crisis to the challenges in working towards a just and equitable EU migration system and the ongoing pandemic – we are aware that it would be much harder for each of us if we were alone,” the presidents declared. They noted that the strength of the EU lies in democracy and in including more representatives of society in the discussion on the future of Europe. “The Conference on the Future of Europe will be an opportunity to talk openly about the European Union and to listen our citizens, especially young people. It creates a space for dialogue, conversation and discussions on what we expect from the EU tomorrow and what we can contribute today,” the statement reads.

“We need a European Union we can all identify with, certain in the knowledge that we have done our utmost for the benefit of future generations. Together, we can achieve this,” declared the presidents of the 21 Member States.