Four Bulgarians joined 146 other randomly selected EU citizens last week to craft recommendations on how Europe can break its dependence on foreign technology, build homegrown artificial intelligence, and shield personal data from misuse.
The second session of the European Citizens’ Panel on Democratic Resilience ran online from October 16 to 18. It drew 150 participants from all 27 member states. The HALO Foundation, led by Kristina Yordanova, received certification to choose Bulgaria’s representatives: Mihaela Koleva of Yambol, Gabriela Karadzhonova-Malcheva of Plovdiv, Stefan Rapplyv of Ivaylovgrad, and Alexander Stoev of Stara Zagora.
Across three days, delegates tackled a central question: how can Europe exert greater command over the technologies underpinning its economy and security? Discussions zeroed in on developing independent AI capabilities, tightening data safeguards, and preventing sensitive information from flowing outside EU jurisdiction.
Karadzhonova-Malcheva described the workload as demanding, given the scope of topics and the sheer volume of material. European Commission experts helped participants sort through priorities and shape their recommendations. She also valued the chance to hear perspectives from citizens in other member states. Democratic resilience, she argued, requires ordinary people to stay informed and engaged with political developments both at home and across the bloc.
Koleva emphasized public awareness and institutional accountability as cornerstones of a healthy democracy. She pressed for Europe to pursue technological self-reliance and treat personal data protection as a non-negotiable priority.
Rapplyv focused on reducing Europe’s exposure to outside tech suppliers. European-built AI, he argued, could strengthen data protection and limit risks tied to information transfers beyond EU borders.
Participants compared their priorities against measures proposed under the European Democracy Shield and exchanged ideas with specialists. Work occurred in thematic groups and full plenary sessions using the Interactio online platform.
The panel’s first gathering took place in Brussels from September 18 to 20. That session produced four priority areas: expanding civic participation, bridging the gap between citizens and institutions, governing information and technology, and reinforcing social cohesion. Those priorities were then split into 12 themes covering civic education, political accountability, trust in institutions, independent journalism, fact-checking, and AI’s societal impact.
The final session lands in Brussels from November 20 to 22, where participants will vote on their recommendations before delivering them to the European Commission. The resulting citizens’ report will feed directly into the Commission’s democracy-strengthening agenda.
