At the 22nd meeting of the EU-North Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee, which took place during the November plenary session in Strasbourg, MEP Irena Joveva spoke about relations in the region and the state of the media. Among other things, she stressed that the people of the Western Balkans, including – or especially – the citizens of North Macedonia, deserve better. She called on the part of politicians who prefer to engage in manipulation and provocations to start realizing this: “Enough is enough.”

The two-day meeting brought together members of the Macedonian Sobranie and Members of the European Parliament, who exchanged views on current challenges and discussed the opportunities (and mistakes) on North Macedonia’s European path.

During a debate on (good) neighbourly relations, Joveva spoke in Macedonian, which she said was in honour of her late mother, as well as because she wanted to once again condemn Bulgaria’s behaviour loud and clear.

Joveva explained that regional cooperation is important, especially in terms of participation in initiatives such as the Open Balkans, while other joint initiatives with other Western Balkan countries also demonstrate concrete steps that benefit the daily lives of the region’s citizens.

“My country Slovenia may not be a direct neighbour, yet it has proved to be a true, committed friend of the whole region and a strong voice in the EU for ensuring that the region is not forgotten.”

Regarding relations with Bulgaria, Joveva expressed disappointment over its blockades, as they are contrary to EU law, which states that bilateral issues between countries should not be brought into the negotiating framework.

“I fear that blockades lead to absolutely nowhere… except to the opposite direction. And I refuse to see political debates and arguments spilling over into society and causing unrest among the people. Of course, there are still many challenges to be tackled, such as economic growth and the fight against corruption, but at the same time the past must not be dwelled on and abused for domestic political ends.”

After all these years of waiting, the citizens of North Macedonia deserve better, she reiterated firmly, adding her expectation that the accession negotiations will start soon and that the necessary reforms will be implemented without any setbacks, and above all without empty or broken promises – from whichever side.

In the part of the debate that focused on the media and civil society, Joveva emphasised the importance of free and independent media, quality journalism and a safe working environment for journalists. Further on, she insisted on the need for strong civil society organisations as the ‘watchdogs of democracy’.

“I would like to see more efforts aimed at making the media financially independent and more awareness raising campaigns on media literacy. After all, only free and independent journalists who are not afraid to work and report can produce quality news.”

The meeting concluded with the adoption of joint recommendations and a joint message on cooperation and support for the reforms needed to accelerate North Macedonia’s path towards full EU membership.

“If the Union cannot muster the political will for more concrete measures, it should at least prevent corruption with European taxpayers’ money,” MEP Irena Joveva stressed at a plenary session in Strasbourg on Tuesday, 21 November 2023. The European Parliament discussed the persistent threats to the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary and the failure to meet the conditionality requirement for EU funds in Hungary.‘‘

“Again we are debating the violation of the rule of law in Hungary,” warned Joveva, adding that there had been speculation about some kind of a deal between the European Commission and the Hungarian government to partially release the blocked funds. At the same time, the minimum measure of freezing Hungary’s voting rights under Article 7 of the EU’s basic treaty is going nowhere in the Council. Further on, she expressed concern that, in the meantime, the Hungarian authorities are continuing with their measures, which are in very clear breach of the rule of law and of the EU’s basic treaties.

“The Hungarian authorities, meanwhile, continue with their measures, which very clearly violate the rule of law and the EU’s fundamental treaties. The media are subordinated there, the judiciary is subordinated, the regulators are subordinated. All because of the absolutist Orban.”

She added that the situation in Hungary had even worsened. She backed up her statement by stating that the Hungarian government had proposed the creation of a new office to protect the country’s sovereignty, but in reality this would be just “another mechanism to silence the critical voices of civil society and the media – the few who still dare”.

”I understand that we have other problems in the Union, but the rule of law should never be neglected.”

 

BACKGROUND:

The European Parliament has been following with concern for many years the systematic and planned actions of the Hungarian authorities. They are deliberately undermining the fundamental values ​​of the European Union. In June 2023, MEPs expressed their concern about the situation in the country, as there is a further regression in EU values, in particular with regard to the lack of transparency of adopted legislative acts, the independence of the judiciary, the repeated undermining of the rights of LGBTQI+ people and freedom of expression.

In a new resolution, Parliament welcomed the Commission’s decision from last year to introduce budgetary measures to protect the EU’s financial interests against breaches of the rule of law in Hungary, suspending 65% of commitments for three cohesion policy programmes. MEPs reiterate their serious concern about the current developments in Hungary, especially in the light of the upcoming European elections and the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2024.

In a new resolution, Parliament welcomed the Commission’s decision from last year to introduce budgetary measures to protect the EU’s financial interests against breaches of the rule of law in Hungary, suspending 65% of commitments for three cohesion policy programmes. MEPs once again expressed their serious concern about the current developments in Hungary, especially in the light of the upcoming European elections and the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2024.

Foto: EP – Michel CHRISTEN

MEP Irena Joveva hereby presents the Renew Europe Youth Manifesto, which is the result of a participatory process of consultation and co-creation by Renew Europe MEPs with youth organisations, NGOs and young people who took part in the Conference on the Future of Europe.

“As Europe’s youth is mobilised by the most important challenges facing our continent, young people must also be part of the decision-making process”, is the position of MEP Joveva and the political group to which she belongs. The process of talking to young people identified several key challenges and themes that are at the heart of young people’s concerns – from action on climate change, creating equal opportunities, addressing challenges in mental health, entrepreneurship, providing paid internships to fighting discrimination. “That is why it is important that this time, more than ever, we hear the voice of young people,” said Joveva, adding that this manifesto is an opportunity to encourage all young people to play their part in shaping the future of our Union.

You can read all 18 proposals below:

1. Youth participation in democratic processes

Youth participation is a necessity in the democratic and decision-making processes at all levels. We need to listen to young people and take them seriously. We support the introduction of an EU “Youth Test”, following the conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe, creating a youth panel that would allow young people to have a direct influence on EU policies. It would also require EU authorities to evaluate the impact of upcoming policy proposals on young people in the EU, while creating sustainable and climate-friendly policies for current and future generations in Europe. In addition, we need to launch an interactive platform in all official languages of the EU territory that would allow young people to create a permanent dialogue with EU policy makers.

We support the launch of the EU Convention for Treaty change in accordance with the conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe. The Convention should adopt the lowering of the voting age for European elections to 16 years. Furthermore, we should encourage Member States to adapt their national Constitutions and legislation, in order to lower the voting age to 16 for local and national elections and to lower the age requirements needed for different decision-making positions in order to enable more young people to enter national parliaments and expand their participation in the democratic and decision-making process. We strongly encourage the creation of youth councils at regional and local levels to incentivise early-stage political and civil activism among youth. Young people should be empowered to take matters into their own hands, so that they decide their own future.

2. A digital youth platform to make EU opportunities visible

Too many young people are facing challenges when it comes to finding paid quality jobs and traineeships providing career advancement, opportunities for learning and personal development, thus acquiring the skills that would help them thrive in the labour market. We need a one-stop shop for European youth, a digital platform aimed to provide transparent information on EU opportunities to every young European, regardless of their place of residence, socio-economic background or professional situation. This could be achieved by merging and renewing the existing European Youth Portal, Europass and Eures in a more user-friendly way. It should provide opportunities and information concerning education, training, job, internship or VET offers, financial aid, mobility programmes, advice on setting up a business(including legal and accounting support) and funding opportunities available from the EU budget, mentoring systems, a networking tool to connect people and skills, volunteering schemes, rights associated with European citizenship and access to culture.

3. Paid quality traineeships

Traineeships deserve to be adequately paid. Unpaid internship costs the average young person in Europe over €1000 a month. It deepens social inequalities and particularly marginalises young people coming from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Traineeships are important for young people to gain learning and professional experience and support their transition from education to employment. They benefit both the trainee and the employer. We want to create optimal conditions for quality traineeships that will provide them with useful experiences and skills, with particular emphasis on induction and onboarding procedures. We need to legally ensure adequate pay or compensation for trainees in Europe and provide equal access to employment for all young people while guaranteeing that traineeships have a genuine learning component.

4. Volunteering and a European civic service

We need concrete tools to strengthen European citizenship and the sense of belonging, for instance through a European citizenship statute providing citizen-specific rights and freedoms. We recommend the creation of a genuine European civic service open to all young Europeans, between the ages of 18 and 30 years old, to do a volunteering service in their home country and then in another European country. It would allow young people to combine the benefits of national or regional civic service and the European Solidarity Corps without having to apply twice, thus reducing the administrative burden, increasing transparency and providing them with a comprehensive and unique experience. This would foster the creation of civic services in Members States where this system does not exist yet and better coordinate existing civic service schemes.

5. Addressing the mental health issues

The current social, economic, environmental, geopolitical, sanitary and security instability have gravely affected young people across the EU. Mental health should be treated with the same importance as physical health and rapid action is required. We need an ambitious European Mental Health Strategy and an EU Action Plan for mental health with a clear timeline, adequate budget, ambitious objectives as well as indicators to monitor progress. More specifically, it should include: the creation of a European Mental Support Network for Youth by the Member States, offering one free mental health consultation to any young person in need and providing tailored solutions; the launch of European Mental Health Hotlines that would pull together already existing structures under the EU umbrella and provide them with dedicated financial aid; and an EU-wide information campaign targeting youth to address the stigma, misconceptions and social exclusion that are often associated with poor mental health. This Action Plan should furthermore tackle a very worrying suicide rate among young Europeans. We also need to further streamline mental health prevention through educational institutions (via addressing mental health in school curricula) and in the workplace, as well as to strengthen data collection on mental health at EU level.

6. Development of youth entrepreneurship

Renew Europe wants to empower young people, and especially young women, by supporting youth entrepreneurship. We encourage young people launching a start-up, taking over a family business, participating in the social and solidarity economy or setting up craft business by providing them with both opportunities and training as well as through facilitated access to finance. We propose to boost the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme. This cross-border programme that facilitates the exchange of business and management experiences among young entrepreneurs should be given more prominence, funding and possibly expanded to include ‘meet your role model’ module and the European SMEs Corps, to give young people first-hand business experience. In addition, we want to create a one-stop-shop, including a business incubator, in each Member State for young entrepreneurs that would provide information on how to start your own business and how to apply for funding. Technical assistance provided by the Union for stimulating the digital and green transition – such as the European Digital Innovation Hubs and the Sustainability Advisors – should prioritise young start-uppers and artisans. We want to foster the Junior Enterprise initiatives at EU level, by financially and administratively supporting the creation of those entities, supporting their European network, giving access to training, exchanges and mobility programmes for the involved students, as well as helping them to work with businesses and SMEs from other EU countries.

7. Recognition of professional competences, qualifications and diploma

Almost half of employers cannot find people with the right skills to fill their vacancies. At the same time, too many people cannot find a job because they do not have the required skills or they are working in jobs that do not match their talents. We urgently need to ensure full automatic mutual recognition of diplomas, periods of study, qualifications, learning outcomes acquired through non-formal or informal education or training, and study periods abroad, including in vocational education and training, in order to facilitate labour market integration of young people. We also call for further development of European joint degrees and diplomas together with the development, implementation and recognition of micro-credentials across institutions, businesses, sectors and borders. We advocate for a common European framework of recognition, validation and certification of civic and psychosocial competences acquired through European mobility.

8. Investing in strategic skills

A shortage in strategic skills and brain drain are amongst our biggest challenges ahead. The EU already has powerful tools for research, education and training, like ESF+ (including ALMA initiative), Erasmus+, and Horizon Europe. However, the functionality and complementarity of these tools needs to be improved in order to reach all Europeans. We believe that now is the time to grasp the opportunity provided by the European Year of Skills, to invest in key domains based on the strategic ecosystems mentioned in the Pact for Skills and the Green Deal industrial plan. The EU has to invest in quality training, education, reskilling and upskilling by creating individual learning accounts, targeting specific programmes in educational institutions and developing micro-credentials, attracting young people to those curricula, especially young women in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics (STEAM) areas, strengthening the spreading of knowledge and expertise through exchanges of teachers, researchers and students. All those actions should be linked to the needs of the labour market, taking into account new employment and retraining. In anticipation of Industry4.0, the EU and Member States need targeted training and curricula in fields lacking a highly qualified workforce. We need to build up excellence curricula through the Alliances of European Universities and the Centres for Vocational Training, to compete with world-renowned degrees outside the EU.

9. Towards a European civic education

o strengthen a European sense of belonging, we advocate for the development of national structures and curricula of citizenship education, including on Union values and the history of Europe, and for the setting of minimum common standards in terms of content and methodology. Europeans need to know more about each other’s historic and cultural backgrounds and understand where our differences are coming from and above all how the EU works and where it came from, and to learn about all available tools for their active participation. Moreover, we encourage the Member States to ensure that more focus is given to digital skills, including media and information literacy, language learning, environmental education and green skills, education on sexual and reproductive health, soft-skills, mentoring practices, entrepreneurship and economic literacy, and STEAM education in formal education and in age-appropriate manner.

10. Safer social media, digital literacy and digital resilience

The digital sphere is a part of young Europeans’ everyday life. Making it a less intrusive and safer environment should be a priority for legislators and companies. We already successfully passed major EU legislation to regulate online platforms, counter disinformation and harmful use of algorithms, and now we need to make sure they are correctly implemented by the Member States. We need strong rules at EU level to enhance the security of young people online, and to prevent them from being exposed to harmful, pornographic and heinous content. We want to tackle cyber harassment, especially against young women, youth from ethnic minorities and LGBTIQ+ young people. Moreover, the EU should deploy awareness-raising campaigns in all Member States on disinformation, fake news, cybersecurity, the risk and opportunities offered by AI, and media literacy in order to support young people to better understand how to protect themselves and their data in the online world.

11. Affordable and easily accessible European study loan

The current unstable economic and social situation has a direct effect on unemployment among under-30 year olds. We propose the creation of a “European study loan for equal opportunities”, with the support of the EIB. The scholarship-like loan will be particularly targeted at vulnerable students with fewer opportunities, on the basis of an overall assessment of their socio-economic background. It will be granted at an easily accessible and affordable rate for studies, trainings, apprenticeships and vocational educational training. Students will have to pay the loan back only once their education or training is completed and they earn enough to have a decent living. Study loans should be granted without a financial guarantor.

12. Equal access to housing

Young people are heavily affected by the housing crisis, hindering their smooth start in independent and adult life. Lack of available infrastructure makes it extremely challenging to find housing without high deposits or help from parents and legal guarantors. We want to develop within the ESF+ a housing programme for those not in education, employment or training (NEETs) and young people with fewer opportunities coupled with training measures for young people, to help them find a suitable place to live, building on the work already accomplished by “Youth Housing” associations on the ground. This should be complimented by the New European Bauhaus initiative for more sustainable construction, as a “bottom up” approach that aims to promote new local initiatives. New living models such as local initiatives, co-living or intergenerational house sharing should be promoted at a European level as well. Within the regional funds there should be a dedicated initiative to support building of affordable student housing, especially in university cities.

13. Creation of a European cultural pass

In order to democratise and Europeanise access to cultural works, it is necessary to increase the support and broaden the target audiences of the European cultural policies. We encourage the creation of a “European culture pass app” to promote the connection of new generations to the European project and heritage. We propose to provide young people, on their 18th birthday, with a virtual card that will allow them to benefit from a sum dedicated to European culture. This tool would give them access to pre-selected European works (books, films, video games, museums, monuments, theatre, festivals, concert etc.), promoting the affordable and free options.

14. Fostering green mobility

We need to simplify access to mobility for Europe’s youth and seek innovative solutions to make travelling green means of transports more affordable and available not only in big cities. Harmonization of youth rail reduction schemes in the EU would be a good first step. There are special mobility offers / fare rates in every Member State for young people. This offer should be harmonised, giving every young European the benefit of those fare rates without having to buy an extra national rail card or being a resident of the country where they travel. The second step would be the introduction of a digital mobility pass, given to every European turning 18, that will carry with it several rights and facilities, harmonised across the EU (this could take the form of an Interrail pass with one month of free train travel, a set value worth of public transportation rights in cities of a different country than that of the recipients access to travel maps and guides made for young people, discounts for bicycle rentals and tickets for green transport, such as trams, cable cars and trolleybuses). In addition, a new European Cycling Strategy should incentivise the usage of bikes among young people, via an information campaign, facilitated access to bike sharing and other incentives.

15. Commitment to inclusion

Young persons with disabilities are often denied equal opportunities and effective participation in our society as a result of barriers in various aspects of life. We need a Union-wide definition of disability and an expansion of the European Disability Card. We call for an unbundling of remuneration and disability-related assistance. Persons with disabilities should have an accessible study or workplace. In this regard, we aim for a revision of Council Directive 2000/78/EC and we want to unblock the adoption of a proposal for an anti discrimination directive (COM(2008)0426) which would greatly improve equal opportunities beyond employment. We need stronger provisions to ease participation of people with fewer opportunities in Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps.

16. Climate change: supporting and empowering young citizens

European youth is very concerned by environmental and climate change issues and rightly so: young people regularly cite the fight against climate change as a top priority for the European Union. EU institutions should assess the impact climate change has on their lives, and include those impacts in all EU legislation. In concrete terms, we must add specific provisions in environment related laws to target the needs of young people, also in the form of specific financial support for green mobility and energy efficiency. We aim to empower young people and support them to become change makers, through quality education, training and upskilling opportunities, and with specific funding of EU green projects and calls. The green transition is not just a challenge, it is also an opportunity to create growth, technological solutions, new jobs and a better future.

17. Empowering young people in Europe’s rural areas, overseas countries and territories as well as outermost regions

Access to opportunities in rural areas is extremely limited compared to the urban environment. As a result, young people from rural areas are leaving at an alarming rate, calling into question the very survival of some rural communities. We aim at boosting digital connectivity and public transport infrastructures, as well as stimulating the phenomenon of digital nomads in these areas, to give young people more choices about their future. Based on the success of initiatives such as The European Youth Capital, we encourage the creation of a European Village for Youth, to empower young people in rural areas and to strengthen European identity in their communities. We also want to strengthen the support for the installation of young farmers within the Common Agricultural Policy.

Youth from overseas countries and territories as well as outermost regions are as much part of our Union as those living on the continent. We want to bring Europe closer to these young people and make sure they know their rights as EU-citizens and what the European Union can do for them. We need to reach youth in the overseas countries and territories as well as outermost regions with initiatives like Erasmus+ funding for education opportunities, the Creative Europe Programme for cultural initiatives and EU Youth Dialogue events. These young people should be particularly encouraged to do traineeships within the European Institutions, notably by taking into account the transportation expenses that they face, and participate in EU programmes.

18. Support to Ukrainian youth

Ukraine’s young generation must be at the forefront of European actions in support of Ukraine. We want to include special provisions under the Erasmus+ programme to support the rebuilding effort of youth policy and infrastructure, bringing together not only Ukrainian organisations but also their European counterparts. Volunteers within the European Solidarity Corps could already participate online in different projects in Ukraine and specific  initiatives should be envisaged for European volunteers to contribute to the post-war rebuilding of Ukraine. We urge for European support to target psychological counselling focusing on young people affected by war and young military personnel transitioning back to civilian life. We want Ukraine to be included under the umbrella of the European Civic Service. Overall, we need a comprehensive EU plan for rebuilding Ukraine after the war, starting with the young people who are its future.

On Wednesday, 8 November 2023, MEP Irena Joveva addressed the European Parliament plenary in Brussels as it discussed the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the need for a humanitarian pause. She pushed for an immediate ceasefire and – if it proved unattainable – suggested imposing sanctions, asking: “When, then, if not now? After 10,000 more people are dead? A hundred thousand? A million?”

Below you can read her address in full:

“Over the next minute I am mostly going to criticise the State of Israel. And I will not let anyone equate what I say with antisemitism. Still less will I allow it to be equated with support for Hamas.

I condemn everything these terrorists do. I condemn all killing of innocent people. I condemn the violation of international law.

I condemn our unending concern … and our unending double standards. Where is the determined pressure being exerted? Where is action being taken?

Of course, Israel has the right to defend itself. But this right does not give it a blank cheque. For killing Palestinian women and men. Children. Children! For indiscriminate bombing.

You know what would count?

Unconditional support for the innocent victims, that would count. Unconditional support for the efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire would count, and – failing that – for imposing sanctions. A ban on trade and cooperation with illegal Israeli settlements, for a start. Which, incidentally, has been going on for much longer than the current war.

So when, if not now? After 10,000 more people are dead? A hundred thousand? A million?

That would count. Now.”

You can watch the MEP’s address here.

Dear reader, I know you must be asking yourself the same question. What could a commercial mechanical engineer be doing in the European Parliament? The answer is: a great many things.

“United in diversity” is the slogan of the European Union, and it can really be felt in the European Parliament, an intersection of diverse opinions, cultures and professional perspectives.

The idea of applying for a traineeship had long been on my mind. I had noticed various invitations on social media, published by several MEPs, but I had never found the courage to apply. Until I came across the vacancy with MEP Irena Joveva. A young, determined woman who stands up for her principles … Well, this is a person I would like to meet in person, I thought to myself. My finger continued to scroll down the screen and my mind wandered to an ideal world where every voice is heard and respected, irrespective of gender, race, nationality, or social class. In short, a world of equal opportunities.

As a woman in a “male” profession, I am often looked down upon: as a rookie – and a woman to boot – who certainly won’t boss them around, whose place is in the kitchen – I could write more, but I’d rather not. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, I try to console myself.

A few days later, I also receive an e-mail with an invitation to apply. That’s it, I think to myself. Why not? I draft a motivation letter and my CV, though being aware that as an engineer without formal education in political science my chances are close to zero. After a while I get a reply that I’ve “made it to the next round”. With a certain degree of suspicion, I look at my phone and analyse the message, OK, it isn’t spam. I draft two speeches on proposed policy issues as requested and wait again. I am invited to an interview, after which I shut down my computer, thinking: this was an interesting experience, nice people, and now back to reality.

People close to me know that I am a very self-critical person who likes to talk and is very down-to-earth. I see every opportunity as an experience from which I can learn. So I stop paying attention to the call for applications and focus instead on my master’s thesis, projects and other commitments. Life goes on… And then, a month later, a shock: I receive an e-mail with “congratulations, you have been selected as a trainee in our team”. “Yay! I’ll get to know Irena and her team, the mighty building of the European Parliament”, I imagine, while at the same time I fret about having to go abroad for two months all by myself.

I get my head straight and start preparing. I find an apartment, pack my bags and I’m off to Europe’s capital. All the way, I think about how I will be received – after all, I’m an outsider to “their profession” and the media often depict politicians as aloof, all-knowing and self-absorbed.

When I met Irena and her team, I quickly realised that I needn’t have worried – they are pleasant, smiling and open people. The European Parliament building is magnificent; endless corridors, meeting rooms…, even a shop, a post office, a hairdresser’s, a library and a dispensary – a real city in miniature. The Parliament is often compared to a maze, and not so much because of its complexity, but because it consists of multiple buildings and endless corridors. These can be somewhat chaotic, but they are well marked. Just as one solves a maze on paper by following the “right side only” or “left side only” rule, the Brussels maze is solved by following the “third floor” rule. This is the floor which connects all the Parliament buildings via glass or internal passageways.

When asked about my favourite spot in the Parliament, I answer without hesitation: it’s the glass dome, with its mighty metal structure (yes, engineers notice that too) and its magnificent view.

The Parliament is full of nooks dedicated to relaxing or socialising. Although it employs more than 8000 people, it does not feel overcrowded. Of course, when rushing from one room to another, you’re never alone, many people hurry from one meeting to another, with journalists often lining the corridors. Irena’s assistant advised: “Walk like you own the place!” And this advice proved to be very effective – thank you, Elma, I will definitely follow it in the future, too!

At this point, dear reader, you must be curious about the nature of my work there… I’ll explain!

The European Parliament is made up of 705 MEPs who, with the support of assistants, shape the future of EU citizens. Every MEP has assistants, and some of them – like Irena Joveva – give interested young people the opportunity to try their hand as a trainee.

It is varied and interesting; you meet new people, attend events, sessions and other meetings, and gain different perspectives on topical issues. Personally, I have most enjoyed attending working groups, following closely the debates in the Environment, Health and Food Safety (ENVI) and Culture and Education (CULT) Committees, noting down conclusions on the substance and studying acts in the field of industry and technology.

As someone who is passionate about development and innovation, the appointment of Iliana Ivanova as the Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, and Youth was particularly memorable. It was a privilege to be able to listen to the legendary Guy Verhofstadt speaking on the occasion of receiving the Lifetime Achievement award, and to the Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo.

The opportunity to guide groups of Slovenians around the Parliament during their visit or participation in the media freedom event was an equally one-of-a-kind experience.

MEP Joveva’s office is bustling with activity, and as a trainee, you are not pushed to the side. One has the opportunity to get involved, develop their potential and contribute to the common goal.

Off to France…

On “red weeks”, as they are commonly referred to, the entire Parliament goes to Strasbourg for a plenary session. Once you have mastered one maze, there is another to tackle. Here, the “third floor” rule does not apply, so navigating the building complex is a little more difficult, especially because of its curved design.

The Parliament in Strasbourg is beautiful; the greenery, the marble and the glass crossing over the river… It matches the charm of the city, which many describe as one of the most beautiful cities in France. To me, it feels like a compact city, akin to Ljubljana.

A week in Alsace goes by in a flash. Negotiations, agreements, votes… and the cycle repeats. Observing the typically chaotic voting session from above the MEPs’ heads is quite a unique experience. Despite today’s digital world, it is still done by show of hands, with the chairperson deciding the majority. When this is not clear (as is very often the case), votes are verified electronically, which makes the already lengthy plenaries take even longer.

Plenary weeks are extremely dynamic, but you mustn’t leave Strasbourg without tasting a traditional Alsatian pizza (flammkuchen), taking a stroll around the city and consequently ending up with a gallery full of photos.

After a red week, a return to Brussels – the capital of the Kingdom of Belgium.

Baroque and Gothic architecture blended with the post-modern building style of the European institutions and numerous green spaces. The Manneken Pis statue as a satire of humanity. The Royal Gallery of St. Hubert – one of the oldest covered galleries in Europe and comic murals along the streets. The Grand Place, which is closely intertwined with the city and was even lit up in pink in October. The metal and glass structure of Old England (now the Musical Instruments Museum), the Royal Palace and the Royal Park with its bronze statues of cats. The Atomium – a metal sculpture erected for the Expo. The Cinquantenaire, a large park with arcades, numerous museums… All this is Brussels.

The settlement in the marshes (which was the meaning of the original name of Brussels) surprises at every turn, one just needs to observe. People often say; “Pah, you can walk round Brussels in a day”. Yes, you can, but do you really see it? Even after walking round it for two months, one always comes across something new, whether it’s architecture you missed the day before or street art. Which is there in abundance, and what’s even better – the artists are great. Singers, dancers, ball artists… The talent pool is diverse.

Being an engineer, it would be remiss of me not to mention Autoworld, the renowned car museum. The world of cars is where you can get lost in the splendour of four-wheeled masterpieces and forget about time altogether. It displays carriages, Ford’s Model T (the first mass-produced car) and modern luxury vehicles.

Another interesting fact. Were you aware of how the gentry in past centuries dealt with bumpy carriage rides without modern metal suspension? Well, visit the museum and search for the answer. To give you a hint: leather.

When visiting Brussels, one simply must try traditional Belgian waffles, chocolate and French fries. As to the latter, in Angela Merkel’s opinion, you will get the best at the Jourdan Square near the Parliament, next to Leopold Park. I checked it out and it’s really delicious.

Andreja, is Brussels safe?

That’s a difficult one. It is and it isn’t. I prefer to stick to the “better safe than sorry” rule and avoid unpleasant areas.

During my traineeship, there was a significant escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian situation, so it was not unusual to encounter a group of protesters. I support the free expression of will, but I do not support the scenes that I witnessed during my Sunday walk in the Cinquantenaire Park. A march in support of Palestine, which many families joined. On one side, children waved flags and mothers pushed their strollers, while on the other side, there were loud chants, pyrotechnics, and a police helicopter flying overhead. It is a scene you never forget.

I have also experienced first-hand the parliamentary security system. In the wake of the tragedy of 17 October, the Parliament in Brussels activated the orange security alert, recommending that staff work from home for the rest of the week. Inside Parliament, security is taken care of, but outside, one should avoid narrow, dark streets and areas around the main public transport stations.

Time to say goodbye…

Time flies, and this is a phrase that I became acutely aware of in Brussels. Two months passed in a flash, and my adventure came to an end. All good things come to an end, and everything must come to an end so that something else can begin. Maybe the end of this story is the start of a new, even bigger one – who knows?

“What now?” asked assistant Rok at the farewell lunch. Hmmm… a PhD, new projects and new challenges. What brings an engineer to the European Parliament? The pursuit of challenges.

Life without challenges is boring!

Thank you #teamJoveva, you are great, with feet firmly on the ground. With people like you, I needn’t worry about the future of the EU. Thank you, Elma, for all the encouraging words, for introducing me to the Parliament and for the time together. Žana, you know well enough how I always enjoyed debating with you. And thank you, Rok, for placing your confidence in my work on STEP (Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform) and the Net-Zero Industry Act.

Thank you also to local assistants Jasna and Samanta: Who would have thought that an engineer would dare take a peek into the world of social media, edit video content and have fun while doing it? Every field is a challenge to be embraced with open arms and an opportunity to broaden our horizons.

My biggest thank you, of course, goes to MEP Irena Joveva. I am grateful that you changed my perspective on politics, showing me that not everything is as the media portray it. Thank you for encouraging women, young people. For being down-to-earth, unpretentious and approachable. A person with a capital letter P who acts the same while having a simple lunch with a trainee and in a meeting room with “important” people. And thank you for, you know, giving an opportunity to an engineer.

“Don’t let them get to you!” Truly, Irena, I won’t! You managed to success as a “rookie from journalism”, and I hope that the “rookie from engineering” can do the same. It is time for Slovenia to form its opinion in the field of industry and technology.

I’m including a photo from the women’s empowerment exhibition to inspire all girls (especially in STEM) and remind them that we can do it. We “greenhorns” can co-shape the world!

– Andreja Kumer