Democracy in the EU, including in Croatia, is faced with new threats and politicians must find solutions to them, Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic said in Leon, Spain on Friday, where he is attending a global conference on strengthening parliaments.

“Parliamentarism and democracy are in a challenging phase. There are more and more new threats we didn’t face in the past few decades. The Russian aggression on Ukraine, then an entire score of extreme and radical movements, from the left and the right, are marking this time along with technological changes, the abuse of artificial intelligence, and climate change,” Jandrokovic told the Croatian state news agency Hina.

“Parliaments are the ones that must seek answers to those challenges because we represent the people. We are the central places where debates are held on how states should respond to those challenges.”

Leon is hosting the Global Conference on Strengthening Parliaments to Enhance Democracy on the occasion of the International Day of Parliamentarism.

Other speakers, too, like European Parliament Vice President Othmar Karas, pointed to the changes negatively affecting democracy in the EU27 and beyond.

“We all share similar opinions and problems of the modern world,” Jandrokovic said, adding that the participants will “point out that it’s not enough just to diagnose problems but that, as responsible politicians, people who received the trust of the people, we should look for solutions.”

Speaking of the threats to democracy in Croatia, he said, “We share the challenges of all parliaments across the EU. I daresay that we are divided into those doing their job responsibly and seriously and those offering simple solutions to complex situations.”

Jandrokovic will speak at a panel on the defence of European values and democratic institutions from new challenges and threats.

“It’s necessary to protect the values on which the European project rests, democracy, freedom, multiparty systems, freedom of the media, the protection of human and minority rights, and the rule of law… They are not a given. The present time shows, notably the Russian aggression on Ukraine, how fragile it all can be and how easily it can all crumble.”

It is also necessary to build and strengthen state institutions, acquaint young generations with the fundamental values of the democratic system, “which were not created overnight,” and point to the importance of parliaments, he said.

“We were elected by our citizens, they gave us their trust, expecting us to responsibly and seriously respond to all the challenges before us.”

Jandrokovic also spoke of next year’s elections for the European and Croatian parliaments. “There is always a danger of citizens losing trust in the institutions, seeking other paths. But it has been proven that democracy, with all its weaknesses, is the best form of governance and that it needs building, and that sometimes we need to be patient.”

“Without responsibility and knowing governance, one cannot lead a state well. I expect citizens in Croatia… to assess what is best for them, what is best for our country, and to decide accordingly.”

Jandrokovic also commented on tomorrow’s tenth anniversary of Croatia’s EU membership. “That’s an important achievement for Croatia, one of the strategic goals set in the late 1980s and early 1990s. We succeeded in that. We entered the eurozone and the Schengen Area, became part of Europe’s core, which brings important advantages for the life of Croatian citizens, such as freedom of movement, security as well as better living standards.”

Many young people are studying abroad via the Erasmus programme, and the Peljesac Bridge, the LNG terminal, and the Corridor Vc section in Slavonia were built with EU funds, he said. “There is a large number of projects which directly impact citizens’ lives. It’s important to continue in that direction.”

On the margins of the conference, Jandrokovic will meet with Malawi National Assembly Speaker Catherine Gotani Hara.

The conference was opened by the King of Spain, Felipe VI. Organised by the Spanish parliament, it marks the start of Spain’s chairmanship of the Council of the EU. In attendance are also the heads of parliament of Germany, Czechia, Portugal, Sweden, and Slovenia.