About me

I am Irena Joveva, from Jesenic living in Ljubljana, born on 26 February 1989 in Kranj. My parents moved to Slovenia from (now Northern) Macedonia more than a decade ago in search of better living conditions. I grew up in a typical working-class family that nurtured both cultures with equal zeal; Slovenian and Macedonian, but at the same time knowing that ours, my homeland, was Slovenia.

I would never have traded my childhood. We were neighbours, human to human. No matter where someone came from. That is why I will never lose faith in the fact that coexistence is possible despite differences. It is an experience that many do not have. Or do not want to have.

Growing up, it quickly became apparent that my passion was primarily reading, which over the years has been complemented by a passion for writing. I was introduced to journalism in primary school, when I was involved in the creation of the newspaper of the Macedonian cultural association, Detelina. It was also then that I started to gain experience in public speaking by leading the programmes of various cultural events of the association.

After graduating from the economics gymnasium in Radovljica, I enrolled at the Faculty of Social Sciences. I graduated in International Relations, and in 2017 I completed my Master’s degree in World Studies with a thesis on the European Union’s attitude towards the Macedonian national question. Starting studies is for many a flight to freedom. For me, this period is marked by the experience of illness in the family. It gave me a lot, because I realised that sometimes it is worth postponing your own ambitions for a year so that you can be of help to your loved ones. But unfortunately, it has taken even more from me. My father and I were left alone when I turned 20.

My studies have given me theoretical knowledge, knowledge of the domestic and international political system. Journalism, on the other hand, put me in the real world. For eight years, as a journalist, I got to know and examine the structure of our political system up close.

In 2011, a combination of circumstances led to my landing in the internal politics editorial office of the Slovenian Press Agency. I covered mainly domestic politics and the public sector, and at the end of 2014 I was awarded the Slovenian Journalists’ Association’s Watchdog Debutante of the Year award. In my explanation at the time, I was described as a resourceful and insightful girl who reports professionally and comprehensively, and in a way that is understandable even to those who do not follow complex topics on a daily basis.

The award played an important role in my invitation to join the 24 hours editorial team at POP TV, where I started working in February 2015. A few months were enough for me to become one of the key people in the team. I reported on foreign policy, European issues, migration, arbitration, protests across Europe… And you have to know the issues you’re reporting on. I believe in the mission of the profession I was in. I was interested, first and foremost, in how events in society affect people’s lives.

Believe me, the decision to stand for the European elections was not an easy one. It was even less easy campaigning…. But that is all history. I know how to listen to people and I know what people expect from politics. These expectations remain my guiding principle.

In my free time – and otherwise – I’m a girl with a big smile who likes to start the day with coffee. I would describe myself as a sensitive, but analytical and responsible altruist, but at the same time a perfectionist with a realistic view of the world, which is all the more courageous for that. I work best under pressure and – when I set out to do something – I go all the way.