A call to young people to participate in civic life, forming their own opinion with critical thinking and thus contributing to the future of Europe, was addressed by MEP Costas Mavridis (DIKO – S&D) at a conference co-organised by the European Parliament Office in Cyprus and the “Cyprus Forum”. Mr. Mavridis was a speaker in the section “Citizens’ Dialogue with an MEP”, which was attended by final year students from various schools, students, diplomats, teachers and others.
In his speech, Mr. Mavridis focused on three burning issues that dominate the European agenda with particular Cypriot interest:
a) common defense and security, capabilities and weaknesses as well as considerations surrounding Turkey's role,
b) the need for a European housing policy and its multiple socio-economic impacts,
c) illegal immigration, which, due to the failure of the EU, has developed into a huge problem in our open societies that requires a strict framework that is largely left to the initiative of the member states, citing specific examples.
This was followed by pertinent questions from the two coordinators as well as the attendees regarding the above, and then the discussion expanded to other issues such as the disappointment of young people with the European institutions, employment opportunities, etc. In his final comment, Mr. Mavridis called on young people to boldly form their own opinion and not to uncritically adopt the views of the European elite, and thus it is worth contributing to the future of Europe.
MEP Press Office
