Event, Brussels – Shielding European Democracy: Scenarios from Central Europe

Ionela Maria Ciolan, Magda Jakubowska, Rasťo Kužel, Wojciech Przybylski

The public debate on Shielding European Democracy: Scenarios from Central Europe in Brussels was organised on 5 December at 4:00 PM at Martin’s Hotel EU, Bd Charlemagne 80. Scroll down to see the programme of the event.

Programme

16:00-16:15 | Shielding European Democracy. A 5-Year Foresight

• Wojciech Przybylski, Res Publica Foundation – Visegrad Insight
  Key findings from the report, outlining scenarios and Q&A

16:15–17:15 | A 5-Year EU Values Foresight

An interactive forum with participants featuring Ionela Maria Ciolan (Martens Centre), Rasťo Kužel, (Memo 98), Wojciech Przybylski (Visegrad Insight, Res Publica Foundation), and Magda Jakubowska (Visegrad Insight, Res Publica Foundation). The Shielding European Democracy policy report maps out scenarios for democratic security in Europe and proposes three recommendations outlined in three accompanying briefs:

• Foster societal readiness for EU armies (Read more)
• A Shield for CSOs: Countering Malign Foreign and Domestic Actors (Read more)
• Boost CERV funding in at-risk democracies (Read more)

The discussion addressed the urgent need for a strategic approach to tackling foreign and domestic interference. Topics included calls for greater transparency, such as audits of external influences like Chinese financial activities in EU member states, and pathways to creating a resilient defence against these challenges. Further information about the report: https://visegradinsight.eu/eu-values-foresight/2024-shielding-european-democracy/

Photos by Jennifer Jacquemart

The EU Values Foresight Project
This initiative is co-financed as a part of the European Commission’s Citizens, Equality, Rights, and Values (CERV) programmes, and involved a Visegrad Insight-led tour across Central and Eastern Europe. Insights gathered from civil society actors, politicians, and business leaders shaped the report’s recommendations for strengthening democratic resilience across Europe.