Relation from the debate between candidates for the European Parliament from the Małopolska and Świętokrzyskie constituency

On 15 May 2019 in the Auditorium Maximum in Kraków a debate between candidates for the European Parliament from the Małopolska and Świętokrzyskie constituency took place. The debate was attended by: Bawer Aondo-Akaa (Kukiz'15, No. 9 on the list); Maciej Gdula (Wiosna No. 1 on the list); Adam Jarubas (Koalicja Europejska, No. 2 on the list); Paweł Kukiz-Szczucinski (Kukiz'15, No. 1 on the list); Róża Thun (Koalicja Europejska, No. 1 on the list); Lilija Twardosz (Wiosna No. 10 on the list). The moderator of the discussion was prof. dr hab. Zdzisław Mach, Dean of the Faculty of International and Political Studies.

The event was organized as part of the Jean Monnet Chair EUCRIS (European Union in Crisis: What is Wrong and How to Fix It?) project. The project is led by prof. dr hab. Janusz Węc.

The audience and participants of the debate were greeted by prof. dr hab. Janusz Węc. He stressed that the European Parliament is often an undervalued institution of the EU, but it is the only one with democratic mandate and therefore cannot be underestimated. The position of the EP after the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon has increased even more as it is the second equivalent legislative institution alongside the Council of the European Union. For this reason, the EP, like the Council, affects more than 95% of the legal provisions adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure in the EU, and thus also significantly affects the legislation adopted in the member states. All these issues, as emphasized by prof. dr hab. Janusz Węc, make the upcoming EP elections very important.

Starting from 2009, it was the third debate with candidates to the European Parliament, organized by prof. dr. hab. Janusz Węc together with colleagues at the Jagiellonian University.