13th Central European Round Table of Green Local Councilors
Central European Round Tables of Green Local Councilors (CERT) take place in Vienna annually since 2005, with approx. 50 local officeholders from Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, several countries from former Yugoslavia and guests from Western Europe.
DATE 2017:Thursday, 12th October 2017, 6:00 - 9:00 pmFriday, 13th October 2017, 9:00 am - 6:00 pmSaturday, 14th October 2017, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
LOCATIONS:Thursday: Haus der Europäischen Union, Wipplingerstrasse 35, Vienna (district 1).Friday + Saturday: Headquarters of Die Grünen Vienna, Lindengasse 40, Vienna (district 7).
PARTICIPANTS:? Greens and Green-affiliated officeholders and activists from Austria (and Vienna).? Green MEP's from Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Lithuania, etc.? Elected Green Local Politicians and civil society representatives from Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania, Bulgaria and Baltic countries.? Representatives of EGP (European Green Party), Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, CDN (Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe), ENGS (European Network of Green Seniors), Green Foundations, etc.
More info on the previous Round Tables (reports, presentations, photos etc.) can be found here: http://greeningthecities.wordpress.com/central-european-round-table/ ?DRAFT AGENDA
Thursday, 12th October 2017, 6:00 - 9:00 pmLocation: Haus der Europäischen Union, Wipplingerstrasse 35, 1010 Vienna.Supported by the representation of the European Parliament and the EU Commission in Austria.
Evening galaALTERNATIVE VOICES FROM EASTERN EUROPE
Discussions on the future of the European Union and the ongoing crises not only focus on Brexit, Greek debts or relations with USA and Russia, but also on a supposed "drifting apart" of political cultures in Western Europe and in new member states ("Visegrád Group") and some applicant countries.Authoritarian tendencies and dismantling of "rule of law" standards, increasing nationalism, rejection of refugee resettlement, etc. led to mistrust and re-fuelled prejudices and stereotypes on both sides of the of the former "iron curtain" that were considered to be overcome 28 years after the fall of communism and 13 years after the EU enlargement to countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
The intention of this gala event is to show that "black-white perceptions" don’t do justice to the complexity of the situation. We not only have to admit that there are also authoritarian and right-wing populist tendencies in some West European countries, but also that societies in CEE countries are much less monolithic than they seem when looking at newspaper headlines.We have invited Green and progressive politicians from Central Europe, the Balkans and the Baltics who closely cooperate with civil society in their countries to express their commitment to European solidarity and to our common struggle for human rights and democracy. They will explain their personal motivation that led them to become Member of the European Parliament or to be foster pro-European attitudes in their countries. After their statements, there will be opportunity for personal exchange with them.
Speakers:? Welcome by Monika Vana (MEP, Austria, Die Grünen)? Welcome by Dr. Jörg Wojahn (European Commission, Austria)? Benedek Jávor (MEP, Hungary, Párbeszéd-Dialogue for Hungary) to be confirmed? Tamás Meszerics (MEP, Hungary, LMP-Politics can be different)? Liljana Popovska (MP, Macedonia, DOM-Democratic Renewal of Macedonia) ? Bronis Rop? (MEP, Lithuania, LVŽS-Lithuanian Peasant and Greens Union) ? Indrek Tarand (MEP, Estonia, independent)? N.N. (Senator, Czech Republic) ? MPs from other countries tbc
7:30 - 9:00 pm:Buffet.
?Friday, 13th October 2017: Location: Headquarters of Die Grünen Vienna, Lindengasse 40, 1070 Vienna.
9:00 - 9:30 am:Opening:Moderation: Raphaela Njie (GBW Vienna, local councilor in Vienna, district 18).
9:30 - 11:00 am: Macro-regional strategies and the involvement of civil society.? Daniela Urschitz (City of Vienna, EU Strategy for the Danube Region, PA 10) ? Stefan Lütgenau (Danube Civil Society Forum, Foster Europe Foundation)A "Macro-regional strategy" is an integrated framework, addressing common challenges faced by a defined geographical area relating to Member States and third countries located in the same geographical area which thereby benefit from strengthened cooperation contributing to achievement of economic, social and territorial cohesion. The first two strategies have been developed in the "macro-regions" Baltic Sea (EUSBSR, 2009) and Danube Region (EUSDR, 2010/11). The City of Vienna is in charge of Priority Area 10 of EUSDR, Institutional capacity and cooperation. One of the main tasks is to involve civil society and local actors of 14 European countries, and to provide low-threshold accessibility to EU funds and projects.The DCSF is the Civil Society Platform for participation and cooperation in the EU Danube strategies. It has mainly developed and facilitated the participative processes and structures in the strategy on national and supra-national level (annual Participation Days). PA 10 and the DCSF closely cooperate with the macro-regional strategy stakeholders in the Baltic, the Alpine and the Ionian-Adriatic Strategy.
11:00 - 11:15 am:Coffee break.
11:15 am - 12:30: Lithuania - a Baltic Sea country governed by Greens.Presentation and discussion about Green government politics in Lithuania.Bronis Rop? (MEP) and Tomas Tomilinas (MP) tbcIn October 2016, the Peasant and Greens Union (LVŽS) of Greens/EFA MEP Bronis Rop? sensationally became strongest party in the Lithuanian Parliamentary elections - 22% of the vote in the first round, and 54 out of 141 seats in the end. And 1 seat also went to a smaller Green Party, the LŽP (2% of the vote).In December, a "green-red" coalition government von LVŽS with the Social Democratic Party came into office, with Prime Minister and 4 ministers from Peasant and Greens Union. We will learn how LVŽS won the election, what they could achieve in government so far, and about their goals and campaigns.
12:30 - 2:00 pm:Lunch.
2:00 - 4:30 pm: Learning from each other - successful election campaigns and political challenges.Presentations of 3 examples, and discussion. How can Greens win elections in CEE countries?What can we learn from defeats and failures?Joining a government: what are the opportunities and threats for Green Parties?
MacedoniaLiljana Popovska (MP of DOM-Democratic Renewal of Macedonia) How Greens joined the opposition and how they try to find their role in the current "battle of power" between the Centre-Left/Green/Albanian majority and the right-wing Gruevski block after the Parliamentary election of December 2016.
ZagrebN.N. ("Zagreb je NAŠ!" - common list of Za Grad, ORaH, Nova ljevica and Radni?ka fronta)How Greens, small leftist parties and grassroots movements finally managed to enter the City Parliament with 4 seats and 7.6% of the vote in May 2017.
HungaryN.N. (3 representatives from parties and civil society)In 2014, two Green parties (LMP-Politics can be different and PM-Dialogue for Hungary) were elected into the European Parliament, the National Parliament and into some municipal councils. Since then, instruments of democratic control have been further weakened by the right-wing Orbán government, and new laws (CEU, anti-NGO, etc.) are aimed at restricting freedom of expression and critical policy discourse.What are the starting positions of Greens and civil society into the election year 2018, which strategies and possible alliances are being discussed?
Optional: Southern Moravia (Regional election October 2016), Austria (Presidential elections April to December 2016), …
4:30 - 4:45 pm: Coffee break.
4:45 - 5:15 pm: Workshop "Gender Mainstreaming" tbc
5:15 - 6:00 pm: Presentation of the Green position on the reform of EU cohesion policy 2021-2027 (MEP Monika Vana and "Transparency & Democracy" Working Group of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament)
6 - 7:30 pm:Free time
7:30 - 10 pm:Dinner in a pub.