REACH Podcast: “Greece and the EU: Crisis, Migration, and Meaning”

Ioanna Giakoumopoulou, Project Manager of the REACH project, and Natalia Vradi host another episode of Reaching Citizens. The guest in this episode is Ornela Sollakou, one of the participants from the second event of the project Reinventing Engagement Through Affirmative Citizen Consultations, which took place in Thessaloniki. Ornela brings a thoughtful and personal perspective as we revisit some of the key issues that surfaced during the citizen consultations on February 15th, 2025.

The podcast discusses tensions surrounding the 2018 Prespa Agreement, the migration crisis, and finally the European Union and how young people relate to the European project. Ornela offers her thoughts on why these topics resonated so deeply with participants at the event.

She speaks candidly about the moments when she felt disheartened or disappointed by some of the opinions expressed, but also the times when she found herself connecting with others over shared experiences, frustrations, and hopes. Her reflections highlight both the diversity of perspectives and the common ground that can emerge through open dialogue.

You can listen to the podcast’s new episode here.