A Regional Development Vision for the Danube Strategy Dr. Etele Baráth Hon.professor, former Minister Without Portfolio for European affairs.

East-Central Europe is in a doubly peripheral position 1./ Oszkár Jászi: history of peoples and nations in the Danube region: “natural phenomenon”. East-Central Europe is in a doubly peripheral position Through its history, there were times when it took advantage of the fact that it lies in the economic and cultural cross-section of the East and the West. This accumulated knowledge today lies unutilized in the region’s countries. 2019.02.22. dr. Etele Baráth

2019.02.22. dr. Etele Baráth

2./ The carefully worked out system of regional development, a basis for supporting and monitoring the processes. The current stage of developing the Danube Strategy reflects the legal, financial and institutional status quo. 2019.02.22. dr. Etele Baráth

There has been a paradigm shift. New elements: global thinking, 3./ In the world, due to the information revolution, we are witnessing a spontaneous evolution of global awareness. There has been a paradigm shift. New elements: global thinking, sustainability, security, interdependence in development. 2019.02.22. dr. Etele Baráth

It is especially true regarding the “narrow” Danube region. 4./ The practice of understanding communication between cultures seems to prevail. It is especially true regarding the “narrow” Danube region. It is the only region of Europe that, “by genetic codes”, carry within itself the seed of conscious “salvation of the world”. 2019.02.22. dr. Etele Baráth

identity (culture, environment, etc.) 5./ There are four areas, where significant change of perception is needed: identity (culture, environment, etc.) Information (knowledge, freedom, access, etc.) Innovation (economic renewal), and Infrastructure (transportation, energy, etc.) 2019.02.22. dr. Etele Baráth

In this area macroeconomic development objectives: 6./ Certain regional cooperative organizations are dealing with the development and the concrete implementation of the latter two areas, the subjects of national developmental plans. It is a concrete project-oriented contribution to the strengthening of the regions’ competitiveness. In this area macroeconomic development objectives: programs in energy, transportation, logistics, water resources, etc. . the delivery of products and sectoral and complex intersectoral programs, etc. 2019.02.22. dr. Etele Baráth

2019.02.22. dr. Etele Baráth

Interactive tools must be added to the strategy. 7./ The distance between the representative democratic system and the formal and informal opportunities that ensure social involvement is the barrier to the development. “Dialogue panels” and relations with opinion makers and functioning organizations, individuals and groups, from the economy to civilians, serving as sources of inspiration, are essential. Interactive tools must be added to the strategy. 2019.02.22. dr. Etele Baráth

This is the “wikistrategy”: 8./ The creation of strategy built on the tools of participatory democracy cuts through the different levels and creates a new reality This is the “wikistrategy”: Its preparation and development is not only a tool of planning, but it is the token of the evolution of a European democratic identity. 2019.02.22. dr. Etele Baráth

9./ Besides a “coordinated” cooperation (organized cooperation) a component of “co-creativity” is also needed. The strengthening of the identity and the democratization of information that may also be a decisive contribution to the EU 2020 strategy from the perspective of sustainability. The possibility is given, since there is an age long demand for enlisting the tools of participatory democracy with the utilization of the modern communication and information systems. 2019.02.22. dr. Etele Baráth

10./ The third millennium began a decade of strengthening non-governmental organizations. The Treaty of Lisbon is a good example of this effort, to bring functional democratization to European institutions, including a formulation of their humanitarian character. With appropriate guarantee, the views of citizens on public affairs can be debated, thus the decisions and the formation of the common will also build the community. In addition to the benefits derived from participating in decision-making processes, it is extraordinarily advantageous for the younger generations in their political formation, and it is the basis of the development and the strengthening of the European identity. 2019.02.22. dr. Etele Baráth

11. / The information society is based on the logic of networks 11./ The information society is based on the logic of networks. Social networks ensure social cohesion. The (hidden) social networks allow citizens to conquer isolation or the fear of isolation. Today in East-Central Europe this is a real danger. The process of European integration is incomplete. The necessary “acceptance” on the level of the individual and of small groups has not materialized yet. 2019.02.22. dr. Etele Baráth

12./ Interconnectedness fundamentally is a characteristic of democracy, since today, as its consequence, hierarchy is replaced by horizontality. To work on the realization of these tasks is a common European interest. It must be the task of the Danube Strategy to create the preconditions for a huge experiment that could alter the European institutional thinking without damaging the mechanisms shaped in the fights of the past heroic years. 2019.02.22. dr. Etele Baráth

This process involves: eDemocracy, 13./ In the process of developing this strategy, a legal framework must be created to allow the quasi (half) formation of the basic institutions of participatory democracy. This process involves: eDemocracy, eDebate (to digitally conduct community thinking on public affairs), eParticipation (digital participation in decisions and decision-making), eVoting. 2019.02.22. dr. Etele Baráth

14/. We call this partial direct democracy wikidemocracy. It may also be conceived as a continuous public opinion poll. Finally, the two strategies could be prepared simultaneously. One along the lines of negotiated and accepted positions, the other according to the proposed “wikistrategy”, more ambitious, but with some difficulty, fitting to and also passing the world wide processes. 2019.02.22. dr. Etele Baráth

Thank you for your attention. dr. Etele Baráth 2019.02.22. dr. Etele Baráth