Bulgarian MEP from GERB / EPP Eva Maydell became a member of the board of directors of the International Brain Trust “Friends of Europe” on Thursday, June 25, 2020. She accepted the invitation to participate in the governing body of the organization, which includes current and former European leaders such as former Prime Ministers of Italy Mario Monti, of Sweden Carl Bildt and of Belgium Yves Leterme, European Commissioners, Chairmen of European Parliament Committees.
“Europe needs to streamline the conversation about its future. The situation with Covid-19 has shown that citizens expect help from the EU when there is a crisis. A recent study by the European Council on Foreign Relations shows that while most Europeans want more cooperation at EU level, this support is because the benefits of more EU are seen in practice. When we live in good times, our common values and achievements with other European nations alone do not seem to be enough to justify the need for European integration. That is why I hope that the expertise and political experience in initiatives such as Friends of Europe will contribute to a more pragmatic conversation about the future of Europe, helping more citizens to understand the meaning and benefits of the EU. ” This was stated by Eva Maidel during the online event with which the new members of the Board of Directors of the think tank officially took office.
Maydell is the only Bulgarian representative on the board of the organization established in 1999 in Brussels. Friends of Europe aims to provide a supra-party objective platform for discussion and policy-making for the development of the European Union. The organization organizes high-level debates, prepares in-depth analyzes and recommendations for European policies. The Board of Directors adopts strategic decisions for the direction of development of the organization, and its members do not receive remuneration.
