Bulgarian MEP Christian Vigenin will take part in the ninth edition of the Paris Peace Forum, which this year is being held under the motto “From Sovereignty to Cooperation.” The international event brings together political leaders, representatives of international organisations, civil society and business to discuss the challenges facing peace, security and international cooperation.
Vigenin will participate in a parliamentary discussion entitled “Defence Without Division: Parliaments Between Security and the Social Contract,” dedicated to reconciling rising defence spending with the preservation of social priorities. Parliamentarians from Europe, Africa and Asia will take part, while the discussion will be moderated by the Speaker of the Parliament of Malta, Carmelo Abela.
Participants will discuss the role of parliaments in overseeing defence spending, as well as the need to ensure sufficient funding for healthcare, education and social protection. Other topics will include democratic oversight of security policies, public trust and the importance of international and interparliamentary cooperation in addressing common threats.
The forum is held under the patronage of French President Emmanuel Macron and will also be attended by Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova. The ninth edition focuses on the need to strengthen international cooperation amid growing geopolitical tensions and ongoing conflicts.
Christian Vigenin’s programme in Paris also includes a visit to the headquarters of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), organised by the European Food Forum. The visit will include a meeting with the organisation’s Director General, Dr Emmanuel Soubeyran.
For contact with the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the EP: https://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu/