Suica, the Commissioner for Democracy and Demography who is in charge of organising the conference, said in Zagreb today that "the opening ceremony could be held in Croatia, and my proposal is Dubrovnik."
"If the suggestion is accepted, the Croatian Parliament could play an important role in that," Suica said during a meeting of the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC) in the capital city of Croatia, which is currently presiding over the Council of the European Union.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has recently pledged to establish the Conference on the Future of Europe in an effort to give a new impulse to European construction and bring Europe closer to citizens. The Conference consists of the Parliament, the Council and the Commission and is tasked with drafting new EU laws and changes to the EU treaties.
The conference is to include over 1,000 ordinary citizens in panel discussions (the so-called "agora"), who will present their opinions on the future of Europe.
It has been proposed to organise six such discussions with 200-300 participants, with at least three citizens from each member-state taking part in those discussions.
The aim of the conference is to establish a real connection between citizens' opinions and political decision-making processes, Sucia said today.
Mairead McGuinness, who serves as the First Vice-President of the European Parliament, said that it was necessary to listen to citizens' concerns and see whether it was necessary to change treaties regulating the EU bloc.
You should be prepared for compromise. That is essential in enabling citizens to get what they want, said this Irish politician.