Bulgaria received a Vice Chairman seat in the European Democratic Students, due to MGERB

11/07/2011

On the 11th of July, Kalin Zahariev, member of the National Executive Council of the Youth of GERB was elected for a Vice Chairman of the European Democrat Students (EDS) during the Annual meeting of the organisation. The event was part of the Summer University of EDS and was held in Vienna.

EDS (www.edsnet.org) is one of the largest student political organisations in the European Union and is viewed as the student organisation of the European People’s Party (EPP). One of the main targets of EDS is to influence the policies in the sphere of higher education on EU level. This is achieved through participation in work groups of the EPP, as well as proposals during political meetings.

During the past year Kalin Zahariev was Co-chair of the Permanent Working Group for Higher Education and Research of EDS. A direct result of his work is his participation in the preparation of the project of the new political platform of the EPP. A whole chapter regarding higher education and research was included in the document due to that.

MGERB took part in the Annual Summer University of YEPP

11/07/2011

In the period between the 7th of July till the 11th of July was held the Annual Summer University of YEPP (the youth organisation of YEPP) on the topic of “Common Foreign and Security Policy” in Limassol, Cyprus. MGERB was represented by its International Secretary Hristo Gadzhev.

In the discussions took part the Chairman of the House of Representatives – Mr. Giannakis Omirou, the Chairperson of the Democratic Rally Party - Mr. Nikos Anastasiades, the Spokesman of the Government, the MEP’s Ioannis Kasoulides – European People’s Party Vice-President and Michael Gahler – European People’s Party, as well as Andrey Klimov - Deputy Chairman of the Committee for friendship EU-Russia in the State Duma.

The main topics of the debates formed to be the role of the EU in the world, the relations with Turkey, as well as those with Russia. And a main highlight to the security policy was given to the relations between the EU and NATO in the context of building trust with Russia and the system for anti-missile defence of NATO.

The hosts familiarized the participants with the development of the Cyprus question in the relations with Turkey, after the invasion in 1974, as well as the history of the city of Famagusta – the only ghost town in Europe. With the advance of the Turkish army in 1974 its 45 000 citizens abandoned it and now it is located in “no man’s land” controlled by the Turkish army. Nobody lives in it and the city is “frozen”, as it was left by its inhabitants. There was great interest in the discussion for the relations between the EU and Russia, due to the participation of representatives of all points of view – from Brussels, through Belarus and Ukraine to Moscow.

Representatives of MGERB were observers during the parliamentary elections in Turkey

01/07/2011

At the invitation of the youth organization of the governing Justice and Development Party (AK Parti), between 3 - 30 June 2011, representatives of MGERB monitored the election process in Turkey. Youth initiative, passed under the title "Election Exchange" and organized in Istanbul, Turkey, was the first of its kind, as the organizers declared their expectation to make it a tradition. The first edition "Election Exchange 2011" was attended by around 100 young people from 45 countries, including two representatives of MGERB - Marin Zahariev, member of the district executive council of MGERB Smolyan and municipal organizational secretary of GERB Smolyan and Lyubomir Stefanov - Member of MGERB Targovishte and member of the municipal executive body of GERB Targovishte.

Main focus of the event was the election campaign of the ruling party. From 3 to 12 June MGERB representatives took an active role in various meetings, discussions, lectures, as well as numerous media appearances, part of the campaign. During the visit, they had meeting with the leaders of the Party of Justice and Development in Istanbul, as well as the opportunity to meet with the Prime Minister of Turkey, the mayor of Istanbul, and with mayors of other districts in the city and popular party members.

During the event participants were divided into groups that visited different areas of the city, with a view to monitor the election campaign, to see the candidates’ approach and people’s attitude toward the election process. Several days before the election, the young people participated in simulation games, based on what they had seen during the campaign, while at the same time they had to show their own communication skills, debating and conducting election meetings and discussions. Significant advantage during the simulation games for the Bulgarian representatives was their participation in the Political academy of MGERB and different regional trainings.

On the Election Day, the youth representatives visited several polling stations as observers, and after that they watched the announcement of interim and final results at the headquarters of the Party of Justice and Development in Istanbul.