"Democracy, Crisis and the EU" - Conference organized at the Natolin campus with the Greek Embassy in Poland

Following the earthquake of the financial crisis of 2008 a virtual tsunami of related economic, social and political problems has at times seemed to engulf Europe and the EU. As a result of these and the efforts to combat them at national and EU levels, many argue that there is now a major crisis of European democracy. Whilst the media suggests many alarming signs of this phenomenon, it is important for academic centres such as Natolin to examine this proposition more closely.

This conference, organized with the Greek Embassy in Warsaw to mark their Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers asked the question: is there a crisis of democracy in the EU and in European states?

In the presence of the Greek Ambassador in Poland, H.E. Mrs Tasia ATHANASIOU, three expert panellists, two from Greece and one from Poland, examined the foundations of this question. They analysed the current state of European and EU democracy. Panellists had been invited to suggest remedies to the current supposed crisis and to forecast scenarios in the development of European and EU democracy. After the panel speeches questions were invited and a debate encouraged, so that all attending could take part in the examination of one of the biggest issues facing the European continent today. 

H.E. Mrs Tasia ATHANASIOU, Greek Ambassador to Poland – “The Greek Presidency Priorities for the EU”

Panel:

Dr hab Marek CICHOCKI – “Democracy in Europe – An Ambiguous Value”

Professor in Humanities, Institute of Applied Social Sciences in Warsaw

Curriculum Director of the European Centre in Natolin    

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marek_Cichocki

Dr Dimitris N. CHRYSSOCHOOU – “Recasting the Democratic Debate”

Associate Professor of European Integration

Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences

Honorary University Fellow at the University of Exeter, UK

http://des.panteion.gr/en/chrysochoou.html

Dr George PAGOULATOS – “The Crisis of Economic Governance as a Crisis of Democracy”

Professor of European Politics and Economy

Department of International and European Economic Studies, Athens University of Economics & Business

Visiting Professor at the College of Europe in Bruges

http://www.pagoulatos.eu/en/