Roberta Metsola

This year’s International PACE Event will be hosted by the The Romanian Lobbying Registry Association/ Asociatia Registrul Roman de Lobby and the PACE - Public Affairs Community of Europe(PACE). This event aims to encourage participants to engage in an active debate and demonstrate how ethical and transparent lobbying can strengthen democratic processes and protect the public interest. The 2024 Summit will focus on what the future holds from multiple public affairs perspectives, through exploring the ever-changing landscape of governance from the lens of upcoming elections, the impact and influence of artifical intelligence, and mitigation of threats through responsible and transparent partnerships between the private and public sphere. Each panel will feature discussions on the following topics: Regulating influence. How do we prepare for the future? Recommendations of the Regulation of Lobbying from international organisations Romania’s opportunities: Exploring Perspectives for Good Governance and Ethical Practices Presentations of EC and National Developments on Lobbying Regulations – Associations The future is here. AI in the future of Governance. Deep fake dangers for democracy Each year, the PACE Summit serves as a platform for thought-provoking discussions and knowledge exchange among delegates representing over 14 countries from across Europe. It is a gathering that fosters collaboration and drives meaningful change in the realm of public affairs. #publicaffairs #publicaffairssolutions #PACE

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CSE present at the International Anti-Corruption Conference #IACC2024 in Lithuania! As part of the panel "Whose Interests do we serve? Foreign Agent Laws and their Impact on Anti-Corruption Efforts", Carlotta Besozzi, CSE's Director, provided civil society's perspective regarding the Defence of Democracy (DoD) Directive on third-country interest representation and discussed: ➡ Is the DoD Directive a Foreign Agents law in disguise? Its impact in the EU and outside. ➡ Civil society proposals to limit the negative impact of the DoD Directive. Next to CSE, the panel brought together the foremost groups working on civic space, corruption, and good governance globally and nationally such as CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL), Transparency International, Transparency International Georgia and REMCODD. Through the exploration of Foreign Agent Laws and their impact on anticorruption, the panel addressed two key issues, namely the tension and possible reconciliation between transparency as a key anticorruption measure and its potential abuse against civil society, and how measures adopted in the Global North may legitimise civil society restrictions elsewhere. It also provided an opportunity for joint action on the EU Defence of Democracy (DoD) package. 📌 Find more information about the conference here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dZVt5SNY 🔎 Interested in CSE's position on the DoD package? Check our last briefing paper 👉  https://lnkd.in/ecMAm8un 

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Happy to see my analysis of the recent judgment of the Court of Justice on confiscation without conviction (joined cases C-767/22, C-49/23 and C-161/23) is out on the website of EU Law Live! This case is interesting because it limits the scope of application of the Directive on confiscation without conviction, and thereby limits the scope of application of Article 47 of the Charter. https://lnkd.in/erBPeGuQ

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Today, in Bucharest, at the Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, we are focusing on combating #technology-facilitated #HumanTrafficking. Join us for a 𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 with the Romanian PA Delegation to discuss legislative gaps and strategies. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟭𝟮:𝟯𝟬 𝗖𝗘𝗦𝗧 👉 https://lnkd.in/d9ScyyqP Traffickers use technology to exploit their victims. Understanding the evolving nature of these crimes is imperative for legislators and policymakers to develop robust legal frameworks. Raising awareness and collaboration is crucial. The discussions aim to result in a set of recommendations for legislative action to combat this global scourge. #HumanRights #LegislativeAction to #EndHumanTrafficking 🌍🤝

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in the Regional PR Summit, organised from Bucharest by ARRP, I focused on "Geopolitical challenges, Generative AI and Fake News in a year of Elections and Conflict". I highlighted the use and abuse of digital communication as an instrument of polarisation in democratic societies, at times undermining the fundamental values our societies are built on. Viorica Rosca introduced the topic of the Summit on PRs impact in geopolitics, elections and corporate decision-making. Alina Elena Dolea Christina Forsgård Dorina Nastase Ioana Avadani and Gabi Paslaru, who led the panel on the communication ecosystem and fake news. Media awareness is key and further investment in digital literacy is crucial and is centerpiece in the forthcoming Year of Digital Citizenship 2025.

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Investigate Europe expresses its full support for the organisations and colleagues victims of attacks aimed at silencing independent and high quality investigate journalism, from Atlatszo.hu, Fundacia, FRONTSTORY.PL, investigace.cz, Ján Kuciak's Investigative Centre, Direkt36 and The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. We share here the message from VSquare: "In early November, a #Hungarian government authority launched an attack on Atlatszo.hu, an award-winning investigative journalism center with which we have collaborated for many years. Atlatszo.hu has long been a thorn in Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s side, investigating corruption within his inner circle and publishing stories ranging from the use of private jets and luxury yachts to the misuse of EU funds. The so-called Sovereignty Protection Office (SPO), established by the Orbán government through a Russia-style “Defense of Sovereignty” law late last year, was created to label independent civil society organizations and media outlets as “foreign agents.” It resembles similar laws in Russia, which have inspired copycats all over the world, including, recently, in Georgia. Ten independent Hungarian media outlets, along with over 130 Hungarian civil society organizations, have protested the law under which the SPO was founded. The European Commission has found that this law violates EU regulations and has decided to take Hungary to the European Court of Justice over it. Earlier this year, the SPO launched one of its first investigations into Transparency International Hungary, an anti-corruption watchdog, and the investigative journalism collective Atlatszo.hu. That investigation has now led to a report accusing Atlatszo.hu of being part of a “network representing American interests worldwide, often counteracting the interests of target countries.” The report claims that Atlatszo.hu’s public information requests and collaboration with international partners constitute “supplying ammunition to the foreign side for its intelligence and influence operations.” Among the other perceived threats identified by the Hungarian regime in this report are organizations like the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), a global network of investigative journalism, as well as VSquare, the regional investigative network that we launched in 2017. According to the SPO’s report, “the focus of VSquare.org — in line with the American geopolitical agenda — includes topics such as Russian and Chinese influence, disinformation, espionage, corruption, and illiberal trends.” The SPO also lists VSquare.org’s core partners from the region — Frontstory.pl, Investigace.cz, the Investigative Center of Ján Kuciak and Direkt36.hu — as members of what they present as a U.S. intelligence and influence network. The Orbán regime’s propaganda report misrepresent reality. Continue reading here: https://lnkd.in/d6hzjMPS

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This #report analyses the ongoing political unrest in #georgia 🇬🇪 following the suspension of its #eu membership negotiations and the contested #parliamentary #elections. #protests against the Georgian Dream party’s governance, allegations of election manipulation, and accusations of increasing #russia 🇷🇺 influence have intensified tensions in #tbilisi. The #europeanunion 🇪🇺 and the #unitedstates 🇺🇸 have expressed concerns over democratic backsliding, further complicating Georgia’s geopolitical standing. This #specialeurasia #analysis assesses the immediate and long-term #geopoliticalrisks to Georgia’s political stability and its implications for regional security. #geopolitics #kavkazfiles #caucasus #georgian #security #riskassessment #politicalrisk #foreignaffairs #geopoliticalintelligence

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With an almost absolute majority of 127 Yes, 2 No and 7 abstentions, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted this morning a Resolution based on the Report I presented as General Rapporteur on #Democracy on the subject of strengthening democracy through #participatory and #deliberative processes. You can learn more about it and see my speech here:

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🇪🇺 I share my interview published in #EUPoliticalReport as President of Assembly of European Regions (AER) 🗣️ “Regional interests still face significant challenges in European decision-making and policy design” https://lnkd.in/dtUmZPZq

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Group for Legal and Political Studies has published my new Policy Note on 🇽🇰-🇷🇸 dialogue. It is a recap of the normalization since Ohrid Agreement. 👉https://lnkd.in/dXVG6tmg

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The incoming Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union has the opportunity to boost competitiveness and resilience and establish an open Single Market. ITI released three key #digital agenda recommendations for policymakers looking to harness this opportunity to advance pro-innovation digital policy priorities in the #EU. Read ITI’s recommendations here: https://lnkd.in/gN-z3ny5

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⚠️🇷🇴Romania’s Constitutional Court Canceled today the First Round of Presidential Elections🗳️ ⚠️ The Romanian Constitutional Court (#CCR)‘s decision highlights the vulnerabilities of the electoral system, both from internal and external factors. To regain citizens’ trust, transparency and accountability are crucial in every country. Next steps for Romania: • President Klaus Iohannis stays in office until a new president is sworn in. • A new parliament and government will take office soon, backed by four pro-democratic parties. • Presidential elections are expected possibly in March-April. • Prosecutors are investigating Georgescu’s campaign, so his candidacy remains uncertain. Key lesson: Strengthen the electoral system, protect democracy, and avoid repeating such crisis. https://lnkd.in/dPw3NjRr #Romania #Elections2024 #CCR #Democracy #Transparency #Accountability

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💬 "Living next to aggressors affects our region's prospects for economic and social convergence - the #EU's Cohesion Policy needs to take this into account by adapting existing instruments to ensure additional focus on our region," said Mindaugas Liutvinskas, 🇱🇹 Vice-Minister of Finance, at a high-level discussion on the future of Cohesion Policy in #Brussels during #EURegionsWeek. According to Vice-Minister Liutvinskas, cohesion policy needs to respond to the specific challenges of the regions, especially in the context of the challenges posed by Russia's war against #Ukraine 🇺🇦. 💬 "Today, the EU 🇪🇺 faces unprecedented challenges and a significantly deteriorated security environment. Cohesion Policy - as the EU's main long-term investment instrument - needs to take into account the different social, economic and territorial realities of the Member States and ensure sufficient flexibility to implement investments in line with the needs of specific regions - from infrastructure development to attracting talent and promoting innovation and high added value creation," he said. To get a better sense of it - check out this video ⤵️ #LTinEU

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Major questions about the secretive agreement between Turkey and Bulgaria A report just released by the Bulgarian National Assembly on which the EU Commission was blindsided throws the background to the BOTAS-Bulgargaz Agreement which undermines EU energy sovereignty into the open. The report and the decision taken by the Assembly to submit the Agreement to both the Bulgarian and EU Prosecutors gives the EU Commission to insist on long overdue reforms. #BOTAS #Bulgargaz #Bulgaria #EUCommission     https://lnkd.in/ejT6P58d

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Bulgaria’s President has refused to veto the anti-LGBTIQ+ law, aligning the country with Russia’s oppressive ideology over European values. We call on the European Commission and EU member states to take immediate action, including sanctions and freezing EU funds. Read our full statement and join us in standing up for equality and human rights. 🌍🌈 #LGBTIQ #HumanRights #EUAction #Equality #ForbiddenColours

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Moldova, Presidential Election and Constitutional Referendum, 20 October 2024: Statement of Preliminary Findings and Conclusions. Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

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