The main task of national parliaments is to promote awareness of democratic processes and actively address young people
Vienna (PC) –
Vienna/Tirana (PK) – On the occasion of the opening of the Democracy Workshop in the Albanian Parliament based on the Austrian model, the President of the National Council, Wolfgang Sobotka, emphasized the need to combine democratic and digital education to combat online hatred, misinformation and other forms of anti-democratic tendencies, such as anti-Semitism. “It must be the objective of all of us that digitization stimulates European democracy instead of threatening it”, said the President of the National Council in his speech in the Albanian Parliament in the presence of his counterpart Lindita Nikolla, MPs and members of the Albanian Parliament government . Since 2020, work has been underway for the creation of the Democracy Workshop in Tirana, in cooperation with the Austrian Parliament and the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, as well as with the financial support of the ERSTE Foundation. It officially opened yesterday. As part of a democracy workshop, Sobotka and Nikolla answered numerous questions from children and young people about the development of democracy in Austria and Albania or about the tasks and daily lives of politicians and the role of the media in a democracy. After Montenegro and Kosovo, Albania is now the third national parliament to offer democratic education with workshops for children and youth based on the Austrian model.
The opening of the democracy workshop is a signal for an active approach to young people, because it is essential to explain democratic processes to children and young people, especially in times of breach of trust in politics and public institutions. It is even more gratifying that over 900 students have already participated in the democracy workshop in Kuvendi since February of this year.
Especially in times when the resilience of democracies faces increasing challenges, one of the main tasks of national parliaments is to promote awareness of democratic processes and parliamentarism and to increase political participation and civil society engagement. “This is the key to a living parliamentary democracy and one of the core tasks of national parliaments,” said Sobotka. Digitization also opens up opportunities for democratic participation, which must be used without ignoring risks and dangers. In any case, the involvement of civil society is essential for a functioning democracy.
Sobotka: Albania’s future is in the EU
National parliaments would also play a central role in the EU integration process, Sobotka was convinced of a common future for Albania in the EU and underlined once again Austria’s support to bring the Western Balkan countries closer to the Union. Despite Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine it should not lose sight of the Western Balkan region. Here, the commitment of all parliamentarians is particularly important, with the adaptation of the law on participation in the EU integration process being particularly positive, according to the President of the National Council. Political consensus, cooperation between government and opposition, is essential for the EU rapprochement process in particular. Sobotka also recalled the joint effort on the occasion of Austria’s accession to the EU as the key to success. Albania’s involvement in the Berlin process with the organization of the October summit is also an important signal, both to its own population and within the framework of the EU.
In his bilateral exchange with Speaker of Parliament Lindita Nikolla, Sobotka also underlined that Austria will continue to actively support Albania on its path to the EU. The President of the National Council was satisfied that accession negotiations with the exhibition in Albania were in full swing. In his opinion, the priorities of the reform reside in the fight against corruption and organized crime, as well as in the freedom of the media. Sobotka encouraged his counterpart to continue to pursue a clear reform agenda.
Sobotka also emphasized Albania’s support and the clear position of its people against Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which violates international law. Albania has not only fully supported all EU sanctions and measures, but has also been particularly active at the diplomatic level, for example as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. (next) red
NOTE: Photos of National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka’s official visit to Albania can be found on the Parliament’s website.
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