Support for Ukraine, enlargement, and citizen-driven EU legislation dominated discussions of local and regional leaders from across the European Union when they met in Timişoara, the European Capital of Culture 2023, on 18 September for the European Committee of the Regions commission meeting for institutional and external affairs (CIVEX)
The regional governors, mayors and local councillors coupled their backing for Ukraine in its efforts to halt Russia's war of aggression with statements emphasising the need for Europe to prove its political resilience by using the European Parliament elections next year as an opportunity for democratic renewal.
The politicians, who came to Timişoara at the invitation of Alin-Adrian Nica (RO/EPP), president of Timiş County Council, met on 18 September to discuss EU legislation and then on 19 September for a conference focused on delivering on citizens demands and ideas ahead of the upcoming EU elections.
Mr Nica, a long-time member of the European Committee of the Regions and deputy chair of CIVEX said: "The European Union must stand strong against Russia and its war of aggression. It must stand strong for Ukraine now and in the long term – and, to stand strong for Ukraine, the EU must also do more to ensure that its own democracy is strong and effective, rooted in local democracy and with a growing sense of European identify. The European elections next year are an opportunity to increase the EU's political resilience."
In a debate about enlargement, members of the CoR voiced their support for Ukraine and Moldova joining the EU, subject to continued reforms, as well as for the EU's expansion into the Western Balkans. Speakers underlined that the success of democratic reforms will be critical to their chances of joining the EU and to ensuring public support for their membership.
Jesús Gamallo Aller, Director-General for External Relations and Relations with the European Union for the Region of Galicia, underlined that "With the Russian war in Ukraine but also with the hybrid threat which Russia poses to our neighborhood region, EPP sees the need to intensify our work on Enlargement. We should strongly support our counterparts form regional and local authorities in candidate countries.''
"Regions and cities should be constantly consulted in the reconstruction process and building their capacities should go together with the ongoing decentralization reform in Ukraine. We strongly believe that the support envisaged for municipalities and regions under pilar II of the Ukraine facility should be allocated with the real involvement of regional and local authorities in Ukraine and not just allocations by the central government" said Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Mayor of Gdańsk.
Members of the CoR were welcomed by Alin Nica, President of Timiş County Council and the Mayor of Timişoara as the city was declared the European Capital of Culture in 2023. When the European Commission awarded the title to Timişoara, it praised the city as an example of how culture can be used to drive social and economic development.