Former Dutch MEP Sophie in ’t Veld spoke to Denník N about European politics, social issues and why politicians should focus on solving real problems of citizens instead of creating cultural wars. Another interview featured MEP Nela Riehl, Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education, who discussed the state of culture in Slovakia, the need for dialogue with the cultural community and the importance of European cooperation. You can read more in the Denník N article.

The interview with Nela Riehl was also published in EU Brief, where she spoke about the position of Slovak culture in the European context, support for the creative sector and the importance of open cooperation between member states.

The event itself was also reported on by several Slovak news portals, including Bratislavské noviny, Parlamentné listy, SITA, and Prima News, which reported on the protest and rally in the streets of Bratislavac and on the fact that Bratislava became a meeting place for hundreds of members of the pan-European political movement Volt for several days.

The media interest showed that Volt is no longer an unknown project in Slovakia. Slovak editorial offices paid attention not only to the event itself, but also to the topics that Volt brings to the public debate – from European cooperation to culture to the future of democracy. For us, this is an encouragement to continue building a pan-European political alternative in Slovakia as well.

Welcoming Europe in Bratislava

The General Assembly was opened by Volt Slovakia co-presidents Lucia Kleštincová and Rick Zednik, who welcomed hundreds of guests from all over Europe.

In their speeches, they emphasized the importance of European cooperation, the personal stories that brought them to Volt, and why it is important to build a common European policy across borders.

Central Europe as the strategic heart of Europe

One of the opening discussions was a debate on the role of Central Europe in current geopolitical developments.

Moderator Sebastian Schäffer, together with Magdalena Vášáryová, Anna Donáth and Mikuláš Peksa, discussed why Central Europe is not a periphery of Europe, but one of its crucial regions.

The discussion addressed the topics of protecting the rule of law, the resilience of democracy, regional security, economic development and the potential of Central Europe to play a more prominent role in shaping the future of Europe.

Free media as the foundation of democracy

More than eight years after the murder of Ján Kuciak, the protection of journalists remains one of the most important topics of European democracy. Peter Hanák, Rasto Kužel and Sophie in 't Veld spoke in a panel discussion moderated by Eva Babitzová.

The discussion focused on the protection of investigative journalism, the growing pressure on the media, disinformation, freedom of the press and how democratic states can better protect journalists. The panelists stressed that a free media is not a luxury, but one of the fundamental pillars of a functioning democracy.

Does Europe need its own army?

The security situation in Europe was one of the most discussed topics of the entire weekend.

The panel "Why Europe Needs Its Own Army" featured Pavel Macko, Reinier van Lanschot, Ivan Scalfarotto and David Gazsi, moderated by Jon Lim.

The discussion focused on the future of European defense, Europe's strategic autonomy, the relationship between NATO and European cooperation, and practical possibilities for creating common European defense capabilities.

Artificial Intelligence and the Protection of Democracy

What role will artificial intelligence play in democratic societies?

This question was answered by Vladimír Šucha and Ronnit Wilmersdörffer during the discussion Resisting Techno-Fascism: Defending European Democracy in the AI ​​Era.

The panelists discussed the growing influence of big tech companies, the risks of algorithmic decision-making, the protection of human rights, the regulation of artificial intelligence, and the need for technological progress to remain at the service of citizens.

Europe united in the streets of Bratislava

One of the most striking moments of the entire General Assembly was the Saturday public march "For Europe", which was attended by more than 700 participants from Slovakia and almost 30 other European countries.

The march began on the left bank of the Danube and continued across the Old Bridge to the Tyršovo Embankment. The route was not chosen by chance. The Danube, which connects ten European countries from the German Black Forest to the Black Sea coast in Ukraine, symbolizes the interconnectedness of European nations. The crossing of the river was equally symbolic, reminding us that Europe today is not united by borders, but by shared values, cooperation and freedom of movement.

Bratislava was an ideal location for this event. As the only capital city in the world bordering two states – Austria and Hungary – it naturally embodies the idea of ​​an open Europe. Just a day after the march, Europe also commemorated the 41st anniversary of the signing of the Schengen Agreement, which abolished border controls between member states and allowed millions of Europeans to travel, work and study freely across the continent.

The march was also a public expression of support for Ukraine, European cooperation and democratic values. Participants carried the flags of European countries and the European Union, and together they sent a clear message that European unity is not a given, but a value that must be constantly protected and developed.

Public rally on Tyršov Embankment: Europe stands with Ukraine

The march was followed by a public rally on Tyršovo embankment, during which guests from Slovakia and abroad spoke.

One of the main speakers was the European Union Ambassador to Ukraine, Katarína Mathernová, who spoke about the continued support of Ukraine on its path to the European Union and the importance of European solidarity in times of ongoing Russian aggression.

Members of the neighboring Volt Ukraine also participated in the march. During the march, they shared with the participants their experiences of life in the country more than four years after the start of the Russian full-scale invasion. Their personal testimonies reminded that European solidarity is not just a political slogan, but concrete support for people who face the consequences of war every day.

The rally closed a day during which Bratislava became a place where European unity was manifested not only in discussions, but also directly on the streets of the city.

Accompanying social program: Europe without borders

The General Assembly was not just a series of expert discussions. The organizers also prepared a rich accompanying program, the aim of which was to introduce the participants to the history, culture and unique character of Central Europe.

For the first time in the history of Volt Europa, the General Assembly was conceived as a truly cross-border event. The accompanying program did not take place only in Bratislava, but also extended to Austria and Hungary, symbolically showing that cooperation across borders can be a natural part of European life. During a single weekend, the participants naturally traveled between three countries without border controls, discussed their common history and got to know a region that was divided by the Iron Curtain a few decades ago.

One of the strongest moments was a joint visit to Devín Castle and the "Gate of Freedom" monument. Participants remembered the fates of people who died trying to cross the Iron Curtain on the Slovak-Austrian border between 1945 and 1989. A stop at the Gate of Freedom Monument was a symbolic reminder of the values ​​of freedom of movement, democracy and European cooperation, which we often take for granted today.

The idea of ​​a Europe without borders was also supported by other accompanying activities. Participants could visit Vienna, take guided tours of the historic center of the Austrian metropolis, or participate in a panel discussion on European security. A joint catamaran cruise from Vienna to Bratislava also aroused great interest, connecting the two capitals, which are only a few dozen kilometers apart, and at the same time created a space for informal meetings of Volt members from all over Europe before the official program began.

The program continued with a trip to Mosonmagyaróvár, Hungary, where participants discussed political changes in Hungary and the future of Central European cooperation. Guided city tours were prepared in Bratislava, which introduced the guests to the history of the capital and its importance in European history.

The program also included community meetings, such as the Volt Women Brunch, which created a space for discussion about the position of women in politics, leadership, and building a pan-European cooperation network. Evening networking events subsequently allowed participants to continue conversations outside the official program and establish new partnerships across Europe.

Bratislava on the European map

The organization of one of the largest Volt Europa events represents a significant milestone not only for Volt Slovakia, but also for Slovakia as a country.

Over the course of one weekend, Bratislava became a place where hundreds of people from all over Europe met to discuss the future of democracy, security, economy and European integration.

For Volt Slovakia, this is proof that even a relatively young organization can prepare an event of pan-European importance and be an active part of shaping European policy.

Join us!

Organizing the Volt Europa General Assembly in Slovakia was only a dream a few years ago, but today it is a reality.

A relatively small but ambitious team managed to bring almost a thousand people from all over Europe to Bratislava, create a space for open discussions about the future of our continent and show that Slovakia can be an active part of pan-European politics. However, our work does not end there.

Volt is growing across Europe and now it is time to strengthen our movement in Central Europe – including Slovakia. We are looking for people who believe in an open society, European cooperation, democracy and modern solutions to common challenges.

If you want to be part of this change, join Volt Slovakia. Together we can bring European solutions to Slovakia and build a stronger Europe from the bottom up – from communities to European institutions.

Volt will build the leadership platform to unite Europe and demands reforming EU treaties

The last months have shown us that in a world changing for the worse, we, as European citizens, can only prevail if we change Europe for the better.

Whether a European army or a United Europe, citizens across the continent understand the urgency and what is at stake. So does Volt: We are running out of time.

Volt Europa was born with the goal to “Fix Europe”. We believe in a federal Europe and we are calling on national governments to also make a leap of faith: changing treaties was never easy, but it was possible until the 2007 Lisbon treaty. We see today that 20 years without reform is a recipe for disaster.

Only 1 government is needed to propose treaty changes in the European Council. 14 can initiate the process. We don’t have 27 Orbáns. We don’t have 14 Orbáns. We actually have no more Orbán. Yet, unanimity remains and threatens the European project at its core.

If national leadership continues to only talk about a more united and more integrated Europe without taking the next logical steps, the only solution is to build and vote for real European political leadership. This is what Volt will do.

The next European elections are in 2029. Volt demands to open EU treaties until then. We cannot wait. And Volt will not wait:

• We will seek dialogue with heads of government to argue for initiating treaty changes to give the Parliament legal initiative and move to qualified majority voting.

• We will build momentum in the population to use the next European elections to change course towards a federal Europe.

• We will build the platform for future European leaders - on European and national level to provide an alternative and European perspective to electors.

Volt Europa is on its way to taking responsibility for Europe.
We demand national governments to take responsibility now.

This new leadership will steer Volt into its next major political chapter: the European Election campaign in 2029 with the goal to achieve its own faction in the European Parliament.

The GA will be open to civil society activists, journalists, citizens, and supporters, with options to attend in person at Peugeout Arena, NTC Bratislava or join via a global livestream. 

Why Bratislava?

The biggest challenges of today require solutions that go beyond borders. Which is why Volt exists. 

Bratislava was chosen as the host city for its symbolic significance in this regard. As the only European capital bordering two nations - Austria and Hungary - it reflects Volt’s commitment to cross-border collaboration and interconnected solutions. With democracy under pressure and Slovakia’s local and regional elections approaching in October 2026, the GA underscores Volt’s role in addressing Europe’s modern political challenges. The event aims to energise Volt Slovakia and demonstrate how a united, borderless approach to politics can counter authoritarianism and foster shared prosperity.

Event Details

When:
Saturday, June 13, 2026 (9:00 AM CEST) – Sunday, June 14, 2026 (6:00 PM CEST)

Where:
NTC Bratislava
Príkopova 6, 831 03 Bratislava, Slovakia

Format:
Hybrid (in-person and interactive livestream)

Agenda: Plan for the weekend

How to Participate

In person: Register for physical attendance and access to social and networking events (June 11–14) via the official event portal.

Remotely: Join the livestream to watch keynote speeches, panel debates, and real-time election results.

About Volt Europa

Founded in 2017 in response to rising nationalism and Brexit, Volt Europa operates in over 30 European countries. With more than 34,000 members and over 300 elected representatives at municipal, national, and European levels, Volt advocates for reforming the European Union into a united, democratic, and sovereign federal state.

Fact Sheet:

• Group in the European Parliament: Greens EFA

• Years in Existence: 9 years (Founded on 29 March 2017)

• Geographic Presence: Active in over 30 European countries

• Total Membership: Over 34,000 members continent-wide

• Votes in the European Elections Across Europe 2024: 1.4 million votes all over Europe

• Volt in the press: All news about Volt 

• Total Elected Officials: 303 Officials elected in 11 Countries! 

Ste frustrovaná/-ý zo súčasného stavu vo Vašom meste, obci alebo regióne?

Máte energiu, nápady a chuť veci meniť? 

Volt Slovensko bude mať v komunálnych a regionálnych voľbách v roku 2026 vlastných kandidátov. Pridajte sa k nášmu tímu kandidátov po celom Slovensku. A možno práve Vy budete medzi prvými zvolenými predstaviteľmi Voltu v strednej Európe!

Čo je Volt?

Volt je prvá a jediná celoeurópska politická strana. Momentálne máme viac ako 35 000 aktívnych členov na celom kontinente a vyše 250 našich kandidátov už bolo zvolených do rôznych verejných funkcií v ôsmich krajinách EÚ na všetkých úrovniach vlády vrátane obcí, miest, regiónov, národných parlamentov a Európskeho parlamentu. Milióny Európanov odovzdali svoj hlas niektorému z našich kandidátov.

Strana Volt Slovensko bola zaregistrovaná na MV SR vo februári 2024 a v júni 2024 predstavila  10 kandidátov vo voľbách do Európskeho parlamentu.

Čo Vám Volt ponúka, ak sa rozhodnete kandidovať?

• Prepojenie s volenými zástupcami a kandidátmi z celej Európy.

• Overené postupy v oblasti riadenia miest/obcí/regiónov.

• Podporu silnej komunity rovnako zmýšľajúcich Európanov.

• Zviditeľnenie a podporu Vašej kandidatúry prostredníctvom sociálnych médií a príležitostí na podujatiach Voltu.

• Vzdelávanie a prípravu:

  • Porozumiete hodnotám, politickému programu a úspechom Voltu.

  • Spoločne zanalyzujeme funkciu, na ktorú kandidujete, a nastavíme špecifiká Vašej kampane.

  • Definujeme Váš profil, politické priority a posolstvo.

  • Získate overené postupy v oblasti vedenia kampaní.

  • Zhodnotíme potrebné zdroje a ako Vás Volt môže podporiť.

Ako sa môžete prihlásiť?

Odpovedzte prosím na tento dotazník do 17. marca 2026. 

Máte otázky? Kontaktujte nás emailom na info@voltslovensko.org.

Central Europe is on the brink of crisis: democracy is under pressure and our economies are failing to reach their full potential. In October 2026, Slovakia will hold local and regional elections.

However, this moment also brings a unique opportunity for change – for Slovakia and our entire region. That is why we want the upcoming Volt Europa General Assembly to be the first truly international in our “purple” style – and to bring value not only to us, but also to our neighbors.

Bratislava is the only capital in Europe that directly borders two countries – Hungary and Austria. So what other city better embodies the cross-border issues that Volt has been raising for a long time? That is why we are organizing our General Assembly here: to strengthen our chance of succeeding in the elections in a country with enormous potential, while also leaving a legacy in the surrounding regions.

The Volt Europa General Assembly in Bratislava in 2026 will be an important impetus for Volt Slovakia before the autumn local and regional elections.

Sale of ticket is already online!

Do you want to secure yours at the best price?

Right now, tickets are at their best price – don’t hesitate and buy yours HERE

Do you want to get even more involved?

If you join the organizing team and dedicate your time to the preparations of this unique event, you can get a ticket completely free of charge. If you are interested, write to us at info@voltslovensko.org

We are looking forward to our purple movement from all over Europe coming to us for the first time!

Your team Volt

The EU was founded as a peace project, an answer to "never again", and an alternative to the empires of the past. It still is a success today. Is there a country that wants to join China, the USA or Russia voluntarily? No. But the EU does have that magnetic power, and many countries line up to join the EU. 


Still, Europe is not reaching its full potential and is under threat. Russia continues its war, destroying Ukraine. The US pursues imperialistic ambitions. Europe will become a vassal if we don't change. It is not enough for Europe to become resilient to survive. We must become independent to thrive. 


The old order is dead. Europe cannot continue to play by outdated rules. We can build a new order with allies, one where rules and values count.


What we need is real independence. Democratic, military, economic, social, and material independence. Through different speeds or all at once. Volt has a plan.

We can build a better Europe together. One that acts faster, with more power, and is accountable to you, the people. A Europe that speaks with one voice and stands up for democracy and international law. A United States of Europe!

What would this actually look like? Here are the major changes we want.

Democratic independence

1. Power to the European people. We want all of us to have the power to elect a European government through real European elections, with European candidates and European parties!

2. End the vetocracy. We need to ditch the veto, the ability for a country to stop decisions. Dictators like Orbán cannot have a vote. Europe should make all decisions by majority.

3. Speak with one voice. We need a real European foreign minister to stand strong against dictators, defend international law without hypocrisy, stop wars, and prevent new ones.

Military independence

4. Fund freedom. We can save billions in spending through Eurobonds, joint procurement, breakthrough tech investment, a European DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), and a fully integrated defence industry.

5. Victory for Ukraine. We make sure Ukraine wins by using the frozen Russian assets, setting up a no-fly zone, accelerating membership, and defending any ceasefire with European forces.

6. A European army to keep the peace. We build a European command structure, EU-owned strategic enablers such as ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance), and a force of at least 250,000 soldiers ready to defend Europe.

Economic independence

7. Finance our future. We issue Eurobonds to invest in our climate neutral digital economy, complete the capital market and banking union, and make the Euro a global currency.

8. Thriving innovation. We set a European preference, remove all barriers in the single market, attract talent, establish ''EU Inc.'' and focus industrial policy on new European champions.

9. Embrace our friends. We accept many new EU members, forge equitable trade and development deals, and increase collaboration with democratic friends like the UK and Canada.

Digital independence

10. Protect the truth. We force social media to respect our values and fight foreign interference, build an EU public broadcaster, keep journalists safe, and enable social media alternatives.

11. A European ''tech stack''. We create a home-grown digital infrastructure as alternatives to the US, from A to Z: European AI, data, software, devices, cloud services, network and chips.

12. All government services use European tech. We make all government services on all levels use European software and have all data stored on European cloud services by 2030.


Social independence

13. A life you can afford. We build affordable homes through smart social housing and renovation projects. We invest in clean tech and a European grid to lower energy prices.

14. Culture at home. We sponsor film, music, etc. to stop seeing Europe through American glasses. Culture must not be a privilege but a force of solidarity, by investing in local artists.

15. Unlock human potential. We turn Erasmus into a universal European experience, invest in new skills and jobs, and give young people start-up capital for their lives and businesses.
    

Material independence

16. Our own energy. We invest in clean energy like wind, solar and nuclear and batteries to rid ourselves of foreign energy dependency, like LNG from the US, gas and oil from Russia.

17. Reclaim industrial leadership. We restore Europe as a manufacturing powerhouse by investing in new economic sectors like deep- and cleantech, and continental high-speed rail.

18. Resource our future. We invest in responsible mining, make equitable resource deals with partners, and accelerate recycling and circularity to ensure access to critical raw materials.

Do you agree? Well, your national leaders can make it happen tomorrow, by establishing a United States of Europe that can act to keep you safe and bring a better future closer to now!

So, what are you waiting for? Sign our petition!

Our Volt MEPs have pushed through a proposal for the Netherlands to refer the constitutional amendment of Robert Fico's government to the European Court of Human Rights. It is clear to us that it is undesirably threatening the rights of LGBTQ+ people.

Every European should be free to be who they want to be. However, populists are undermining our European freedoms and old political parties do not have the courage to stand up for our common European future.

Volt is a new generation that embraces new, progressive and European ideas. By convincing the Dutch parliament of our proposal, we hope that the court will stop Fico's interference in the rights of the LGBTQ community and in our common European freedoms.

We are the first and only European party and we are in contact with our colleagues from Volt Slovakia to understand the national context and what would help Slovakia's free and European future.

This is precisely the strength of our pan-European movement. When our government cannot be relied upon, our partners will help us. One movement, one program, one set of values. We protect them together.

Join Volt Slovakia and help us promote freedom, equality, and a European future for all

Last weekend, the presidents of the EU and the US met in Scotland to agree on a trade deal to avoid the 30% tariff Donald Trump threatened to impose from August 1st. Rushed by member state governments, Ursula von der Leyen returned with a deal that will see 15% tariffs applied on EU exports to the US while the EU levies 0% tariffs on US imports. In addition, the EU agreed to purchase 700B€ of energy, invest 600B€ in the US and to increase purchases of US weapons. 

The price tag for refusing EU integration

The undersigning Volt Chapters regret that the EU accepted such a lopsided handshake deal putting into question our credibility and legitimacy in trade based on the international order. We question not only the urgency for this deal, but also the outcome considering the 235B$ trade deficit Trump criticized in products is offset by a US surplus and quasi monopolies in tech and financial services of 148B€. A 15% tariff without reciprocity to protect EU domestic industries or equivalent taxation of US service providers was by no means justified.

Volt fears that citizens across Europe will pay a heavy price for national governments hijacking negotiations and refusing for too long to address Europe’s structural weaknesses:

• The EU still has no foreign policy doctrine remaining dependent on US protection and support in the Ukraine war, which Donald Trump is using as leverage in his deal-making.

• Member states preach stronger defense but have not made significant steps to at least joint procurement with a European army and command chain nowhere on the horizon.

• Governments prevent real economic integration leaving our EU market “single in name only”, with our industries less competitive and too fragile to absorb external shocks.

• The Commission was rushed by national governments protecting industries with the sum of unilateral interests a far cry from a unified and forward-looking trade policy

• EU decision-making thus remains woefully inadequate considering a geopolitical reality much different from when the underlying EU treaties have been concluded.

This deal is wakeup call. Mario Draghi pointed out many of these points in his report a year ago. Since then, governments now criticizing the EU for a deal they forced, have neither delegated competences to the EU nor allowed reforms. They keep the EU in its weak state and, empty promises or not, with this deal they are buying time. Volt expects this time to be finally  used for EU reforms and to reduce Europe’s external dependencies.

Creating a European future instead of protecting a national past

Specifically, Volt chapters demand the EU Commission and national governments:

• To treat the EU-US deal separately from the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF 2028-2035) being negotiated. The upcoming “EU budget” should neither be reduced nor diluted or diverted.

• To not enter into a new energy dependency by purchasing close to the annual US LNG production and triple of current imports but instead focussing on increasing renewables as well as grid and storage capacities.

• To ensure military spending beyond the 2% NATO commitment will be financed on a European level focussing on joint purchases with obligatory and increasing quotas for European defence contractors.

• To advance market integration: the 28th regime, the EU public procurement reform and integrated capital markets can only be steps towards unifying 27 different bureaucracies costing us 7% of productivity according to the Draghi and IMF reports.

• To reduce the monopolies of US service providers by means other than tariffs: an EU public payment provider to rival Visa and Master Card is overdue, as are interoperability requirements for social media platforms, a Buy European and a EU small business act.

• To not exempt any country from Carbon Border Adjustments. We need a level playing field for our industries in Europe and beyond - by demanding other economic blocks to follow suit should they want to continue to trade with the European Union.

• To demand a net positive capital flow into the EU from any public investment in the US. The US does not need development aid. Investments beyond taking over initiatives like USAid or Radio Free Europe must have a verifiable positive impact at home in Europe.

Volt expects these points to be addressed in the upcoming September State of the Union address of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen - not by the usual fluffy marketing, but by concrete steps towards EU treaty reforms aimed to render the European Union a capable geopolitical actor. These should not only include internal reforms but also initiatives to salvage the international order - including a new global economic zone and reform of the WTO.

These reforms require true leadership on a European level and standing up to member state governments to rally them towards finding a role within a stronger European Union instead of overestimating their diminishing geopolitical weight. Volt believes that a strong commitment from member states to honor the Spitzenkandidaten process will be a necessity to break with the practice of Commission Presidents depending on the Council instead of the European people and project. Volt is ready to take over responsibility should national governments continue failing to do so.

Volt Austria
Volt Czechia
Volt Hungary
Volt Slovenia
Volt Poland
Volt Slovakia

Why we need enlargement and reform

The stakes could not be higher: with Trump, Putin and Xi knocking on our door, with the climate crisis and the digital revolution, Europe will either transform the continent into a united democracy – or be sidelined in the competition between bigger powers. Luckily, we have all the ingredients to make Europe a success.

Enlargement strengthens the foundation for EU values to thrive and improve the well-being and dignity of hundreds of millions of people. It enlarges the single market, enables the green transition, and improves confidence in the EU through motivated and talented populations. It is also the EU’s strongest foreign-policy tool and the cheapest insurance against Russian aggression. Yet past enlargement rounds have shown that weak rule-of-law safeguards and unanimity vetoes bypass democratic requirements and slow down decision-making, paralysing the Union from within. At the same time, while the agricultural and internal market gains of a country like Ukraine joining would massively benefit the Union, it could be a burden if not combined with substantial institutional reform. Finally, many long-promised internal reforms stall because national leaders fear Treaty change; history
shows that the political momentum of enlargement triggers reforms. Reform and enlargement are thus two sides of the same coin. This requires 3 steps.

1. Fixing the enlargement machinery

We propose a model that is “faster, fairer, and fire-proof”, so the EU shall e.g.:

• move all intermediate accession votes to Qualified Majority Voting;

• introduce a new advanced-candidate status; candidate countries receive EU benefits for making reforms faster while a core of EU Member States can integrate deeper;

• use new tools to support pro-EU societies + pressure backsliding governments;

• add post-accession rule of law surveillance, transition periods, and other
  safeguards;

• create a massive awareness raising campaign and structurally empower citizens
  and civil society to make enlargement driven by people, not governments.

2. Stage 1 reforms (deliverable before 2030, without Treaty change)

By using passerelle clauses, secondary law and inter-institutional deals, the EU shall e.g.:

• streamline the institutions with less, merit-based Commissioners, rolling quintets for Council Presidencies, and an empowered EP with transnational lists;

• end single-state vetoes on sanctions, taxation and enlargement steps;

• establish a European Agora, a citizens’ assembly whose recommendations must be debated and replied to by the co-legislators;

• extend EPPO jurisdiction and rule-of-law conditionality to all EU spending;

• create a €75 bn Enlargement Adjustment Facility, reform the CAP, cohesion funds and MFF, and activate new own resources (CBAM, digital, corporate-tax share).

These measures shall go in parallel with admitting Montenegro and other front-runners, so the EU can continue to act as it enlarges – without touching the Treaties.

3. Stage 2 reforms (deliverable by 2030, with Treaty change)

Through six possible options for treaty change, a new constitutional package must e.g.:

• with an EU constitution, replace the Commission, Council and Parliament with an elected EU Government scrutinised by a bicameral Parliamentary Democracy;

• abolish unanimity for all policy areas except for (i) new treaties, (ii) opening and closing of accession negotiations, and (iii) foreign deployment of EU military forces;

• upgrade the Court of Justice of the EU to a full Constitutional Court (with ex-ante treaty review), making it the arbiter of Article 7 violations;

• turn the European Agora into a full EU legislative institution;

• establish an EU Treasury with ≥ 3 %-of-GNI fiscal capacity and common debt;

By 2030, this will ensure that a Union of 500 million citizens and 35+ members will be successful.

Crucially, Ukrainian accession and the impact it will have on the EU should coincide with and enable the conditions for a treaty change, rather than treaty change being a precondition for its accession. Ukrainian membership should not be held hostage by reform, but be seen as a positive opportunity to radically transform the EU for the better.

Pay-off

Implementing this Agenda 2030 gives candidate societies a credible path to Membership, turns enlargement into a security and economic dividend instead of a strain, and finally delivers the democratic, resilient Union Europeans say they want. Every past enlargement round was preceded by structural reform; acting now ensures the next one creates the Union of the future – peaceful, green and sovereign – well before the end of this decade.

You can read a full report here

Last weekend, together with colleagues from Volt Austria and Volt Hungary, we celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Schengen Agreement symbolically - at the tri-border of Slovakia, Austria and Hungary, in the sculpture park near Čunovo, Rajka and Deutsch Jahrndorf. At the place where guarded borders stood until recently, we were reminded of all that freedom of movement brings us.

Even though the sun was scorching and there weren't many trees yet, the atmosphere was warm, open and European - there was Austrian guglhupf, Hungarian pogacsa, and Slovak treska. We discussed the future of Volt in Central Europe, cross-border cooperation and building better relations between our countries.

💬 Kristóf from Volt Hungary said it perfectly:

“In this place, we were once divided by the Iron Curtain, but today we can be together. We must cherish and protect it, because it was not easy to achieve.”

💬 Karoline Adam, co-chair of Volt Austria, added:

“We must celebrate the benefits that the EU brings us more often, and we must constantly remind ourselves that as Europeans, we can achieve much more than individual countries.”

We believe that the Schengen Picnic will become an annual tradition, and we will meet again at this place next year. Maybe with you too! 💜

Volt in 15 countries with a unified election program received 1.4 million. votes from all over Europe and has 5 pan-European deputies elected, which is five times more than in 2019, when he took part in the EP elections for the first time. Volt is known not only for the fact that the WWF named it the greenest voting party in the EP. In Slovakia, after 2 months of promotion, he got 100 first members and 2000 first voters.

You can read more in the press release.

Foto: Archív Volt, Zuzana Púčiková

Čítajte viac: https://podcasty.sme.sk/c/23337539/piatocek-europa-tras-sa-predvolebny-special.html

Ilustračné foto: RTVS

Program predvolebných diskusií, ako aj živé vysielanie, nájdete na stráne RTVS

https://www.rtvs.sk/televizia/program/21170/470132

Foto: Volt Europa / Zľava: aktuálna europoslankyňa strany Volt Holandsko Sophie in’t’Veld a europoslanec strany Volt Nemecko Damien Boeselanger.

Strana Volt Slovensko zdôrazňuje, že Slovensko by sa malo stať aktívnym členom EÚ s jasným a rešpektovaným hlasom.

Celý článok o prioritách a vízii členov strany Volt si môžete prečítať na stránke TASR: https://www.teraz.sk/slovensko/volt-slovensko-chce-posilnit-veducu-po/797908-clanok.html?utm_source=teraz&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=click&utm_content=.%253BsSlovensko

Foto: Archív Volt Slovensko

Medzi faktory prispievajúce k tomuto trendu patrí aj odkladanie rodičovstva a nedostatočná podpora pre ženy v reprodukčnom veku. Vzdelávacie iniciatívy ako slovenský projekt FerTeen, ktorý informuje mladých ľudí o plodnosti, ako aj environmentálne reformy zamerané na zlepšenie reprodukčného zdravia sú kľúčové.

Riešenie týchto problémov si vyžaduje komplexné legislatívne, sociálne a politické opatrenia, pričom jednotný európsky prístup je nevyhnutný pre efektívne a včasné riešenia.

Naše kandidátky Denisa Priadková, odborníčka na reprodukčné zdravie, a Lucia Kleštincová, odborníčka na európske politiky, ponúkajú návrhy ako zlepšiť demografický vývoj a reprodukčné zdravie v Európe na portáli EURACTIV Slovensko.

https://euractiv.sk/section/socialna-politika/opinion/europska-populacna-kriza-sa-tyka-aj-slovenska/

Foto: Archív Volt Slovensko

Lucia Kleštincová, vedúca kandidátka za Volt Slovensko, zdôrazňuje, že je potrebné, aby sa ženy viac spájali a podporovali navzájom, aby mohli dosiahnuť výraznejšie zmeny v spoločnosti. Napriek náročným podmienkam ženy na Slovensku a vo svete preukazujú, že zvládajú náročné funkcie často s väčším nadhľadom a inou kvalitou ako ich mužskí kolegovia.

Výskumy ukazujú, že ženy v politike čelia väčšiemu posudzovaniu, kritike a prekážkam v prístupe k financiám a médiám. Tieto faktory prispievajú k tomu, že ženy často odrádza vstup do politiky. Lucia Kleštincová zdôrazňuje, že v rámci svojho pôsobenia v hnutí Volt Slovensko sa snaží vytvárať prostredie, ktoré podporuje rodovú rovnosť a ženské líderstvo. Hlboko zakorenené spoločenské stereotypy však stále prevládajú, čo vedie k tomu, že politická diskusia často evokuje predstavu mocného muža, a nie kvalifikovanej ženy.

Kľúčové iniciatívy pre podporu rodovej rovnosti zahŕňajú zmenu DNA politických strán, kde by rodová rovnosť bola rovnako dôležitá ako profesionalita a schopnosť dosahovať výsledky. Kleštincová poukazuje na to, že Volt Slovensko aktívne pracuje na zabezpečení rodovej rovnosti vo vedení, členskej základni a kandidátskych listinách. Dôležitým krokom je aj zmena verejného vnímania a posilnenie podpory pre ženy, ktoré sa snažia presadiť v politike.

Celý článok si môžete prečítať na webe Ženy v Meste

https://www.zenyvmeste.sk/zeny-zvladaju-najnarocnejsie-funkcie--aj-tak-ludi-v-politike-oslovuje-razny--bohaty-muz--hovori-lucia-klestincova

Ilustračné foto: The National News

Lucia Kleštincová, ktorá kandiduje v nadchádzajúcich voľbách do Európskeho parlamentu, reagovala na útok výzvou na rešpekt a toleranciu. Upozornila, že útok na premiéra je útokom na demokraciu samotnú a vyzvala politických lídrov na odsúdenie všetkých foriem nenávisti a násilia.

Slovenská prezidentka Zuzana Čaputová taktiež vyzvala na zastavenie nenávistných prejavov, ktoré vedú k násilným činom. Lucia Kleštincová sa k týmto výzvam pripojila a zdôraznila potrebu zmiernenia emócií a prejavenia ľudskosti naprieč politickým spektrom. Incident, ktorý sa stal len pár týždňov pred európskymi voľbami, vyvolal šok nielen na Slovensku, ale aj v celej Európe. Polícia varovala pred šírením nenávisti na sociálnych sieťach a sľúbila, že bude stíhať tých, ktorí prekročia hranicu zákona.

Lucia Kleštincová vyjadrila obavy o bezpečnosť politických kandidátov po útoku a dúfa, že sa zlepší nielen bezpečnosť, ale aj kultúra komunikácie v politike. Zdôraznila, že strana Volt Slovensko presadzuje rešpekt, inklúziu a udržateľnosť, na rozdiel od starej politiky, ktorá živí nenávisť a rozdelenie. Zároveň verí, že Slováci túžia po stabilite a chcú vidieť riešenia komplexných problémov a výziev, ktorým čelíme doma aj v zahraničí.

Celý článok si v anglickom jazyku môžete prečítať na webe The National News

https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/europe/2024/05/16/slovakia-assassination-attempt-robert-fico/

Foto: TA3

Lucia Kleštincová, ako bývalá pracovníčka Európskej únie v oblasti priemyselných politík a spolupredsedníčka Volt Slovensko diskutovala v relácii spravodajskej televízie TA3, Téma, a bližšie priblížila zmysel a fungovanie európskych štruktúr. Takisto ozrejmila prítomnosť slovákov a sloveniek v európskych štruktúrach nie len vo funkciách poslancov a poslankýň a v neposlednom rade bolo dôležitou témou aj šírenie nepravdivých informácií aj o Európskej Únie.

Viac sa môžete dozvedieť z celého rozhovoru

https://www.ta3.com/relacia/938151/den-europy

Foto: Archív Volt Slovensko

Kandidáti Mikuláš Lakatoš a Tomáš Matta, sú hrdými predstaviteľmi rómskej menšiny na Slovensku a túto úlohu chcú dôstojne vykonávať aj na pôde Európskeho parlamentu. 

Mikuláš Lakatoš je analytikom inkluzívnych politík zdravia a advokátom za menšinové a ľudské práva, pôsobí ako odborný asistent na Slovenskej zdravotníckej univerzite v Bratislave. Vlani získal ocenenie Mladý Európan roku 2023. 

Tomáš Matta, ktorý pochádza z Košíc a vyštudoval politológiu, pôsobí ako učiteľ na sídlisku Luník IX. Je tiež aktivistom a športovcom, spoluzakladateľom neziskovej organizácie zameranej na zlepšovanie života Rómov na Slovensku a laureátom medzinárodného ocenenia Vojvodu z Edinburghu.

Viac sa o kandidátoch možete dozvedieť z článku uverejneného na portáli SITA

https://sita.sk/strana-volt-slovensko-kandiduje-do-europarlamentu-aj-s-dvomi-zastupcami-romskej-mensiny-na-slovensku/