On October 25-26, 2024, CÖF-CÖKA will hold the fifth meeting of the European Union Civil Cooperation Council (EuCET), which it founded in 2017. Well-known spiritual defenders of the country, leaders of patriotic civil foundations and associations are coming to Hungary from 17 countries. The motto of their deliberations: "Patriotic spiritual defenders of the country for Europe" was announced this morning at the press conference announcing the event.
"We firmly believe that (strong) nations cannot exist without patriotism, and the European Union cannot exist without nations. From our point of view, strong, independent economies are the key to the well-being not only of individual nations, but of the whole of Europe," said László Csizmadia, chairman of the board of trustees of the Civil Solidarity Forum - Civil Solidarity Foundation (CÖF-CÖKA), at today's press conference.
He emphasized that the partner organizations of EuCET agree that the history, traditions and culture of every European nation are valuable in themselves, and as a result, the European Union must respect the diverse national identities of its member states.
"Different national identities do not weaken, but on the contrary, strengthen our community."
– emphasized László Csizmadia.
He expressed his hope that the ideas and what was said at the conference would help the future of the "Europe of Nation States" and that the Patriots for Europe faction could conclude a strategic agreement. Their goal is to achieve with civil courage and joint work that the Patriots for Europe is the most populous faction of the European Parliament.
"As part of an international collaboration, we trade unions are working to put political power behind this
let's try to create a social civil network in which we also channel those opinions and those intentions that are now palpably present in Western societies, only the censorship and political aggression in Western societies does not give space to these movements"
- said Imre Palkovics, president of the National Association of Workers' Councils, member of the EuCET Board.
He emphasized that they are trying to participate in this entire cooperation as an encourager and mouthpiece of these opinions, not forgetting, of course, the original function of the trade unions, the struggle of the workers for the goal of social welfare.
“As far as we know
this is the largest civic initiative of this type in Hungary,
where specifically Europe - that is, not only the European Union - is not secretly sovereignist, the civil interest representatives opposed to centralization in Brussels and the civil profession appear in parallel together with those civil movements that also carry out public policy activities" , noted constitutional lawyer Zoltán Lomnici Jr., CÖF- Spokesperson of CÖKA, secretary general of EuCET.
The topic of the conference ranges from the Polish rule of law to the situation of youth within the European Union, but the latest front lines of the attack on national identity will also be discussed, starting with the issue of trade unions.
the spokesperson added.
Panel discussions:
- Polish rule of law situation
- The role of trade unions as civil society in EU decision-making
- The situation of conservative youth today
- Europe in the shadow of gender vokeism
- External and internal attacks on national identity
Speeches:
- Illés Boglárka, State Secretary responsible for bilateral relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Kinga Gál is the first vice-president of the Patriots for Europe group
- Dr. László Csizmadia, president of CÖF-CÖKA and EuCET
- Václav Klaus, the second president of the Czech Republic - award ceremony
- Henri Malosse is the honorary president of the Belgian Vocal Europe
- Massimiliano Ferrari is the advisor for international affairs of the Italian League Party
- Lorenzo Bernasconi is a representative of the Italian Center for Machiavelli Studies
- Pawel Czubik is a judge of the Polish Supreme Court
- Gian Luigi Ferretti is the international leader of the Italian UGL trade union
- Alexander Lettner is the executive director of the Austrian Ring Freiheitliche Studenten
- Henk Jan van Schothorst is a board member of the Dutch-American Christian Council International
- Mike Calamus is the president of Konservatiivn Eesti and the European Freedom Fund INC
Closing speech:
Dr. Zoltán Lomnici Jr. is the Secretary General of EuCET
The full press conference can be viewed here:
Cover photo: civilek.info
