One hundred fifty citizens from across all European Union member states convened for the second session of the European Citizens’ Panel on Preparedness, taking place from April 24 to 26. The discussions are designed to develop concrete recommendations on how EU populations can enhance their readiness for future crises and shocks. The primary goal is to ensure that actions guided by the EU preparedness union strategy are both inclusive and directly responsive to the needs of the citizenry.
Participants are deepening their exploration of priorities identified in previous discussions. Key areas of focus include bolstering citizen engagement, enhancing education, promoting solidarity and inclusion, maintaining the integrity of communication—particularly combating disinformation—and refining overall crisis management protocols across Europe. The delegation included four Bulgarians representing Sofia, Burgas, Isperih, and Reberkovo.
Addressing the media, Antoaneta Petkova, one of the Bulgarians from Reberkovo, stated that she anticipated continuing discussions with representatives from Germany, Italy, and Czechia. She highlighted the ongoing importance of proposals such as implementing educational training for all age groups, covering both theoretical knowledge and practical crisis response skills. Petkova added that the group intends to discuss four additional ideas concerning disaster and crisis response.
The involvement of diverse citizens underscores the collaborative nature of EU preparedness efforts. The plenary sessions are available for live viewing on the panel’s official website, providing transparency into the formulation of future EU policy recommendations.
Topics: #citizens #preparedness #bulgarians
