“I can’t change the world, but I change what I can for the better.”

On Friday, 8 December 2023, MEP Irena Joveva spoke with her Slovenian colleagues about the achievements and challenges of her outgoing mandate at a debate in Studio Evropa. ”When I accepted the fact that I cannot change the world, even though it needs to be changed for the better, I focused on the part that I can change. For the better,” she said, among other things.

When asked by a journalist about the fact that she is the youngest Slovenian MEP, Joveva emphasized that there has always been a patronizing attitude towards younger people, but that this is not an obstacle for her in any way.

“Experience is important, just as new energy is important, which – given the current composition of the European Parliament – has also been recognized by voters, as many of us represent the younger generation.”

Although her five-year parliamentary term is slowly coming to an end, the MEP is far from finished with her work, quite the opposite. As she explained, as the parliamentary rapporteur-general and rapporteur on behalf of her political group Renew Europe, she is currently focusing on two important pieces of legislation, hoping they will be passed during this term: statistics and freedom of the media.

When asked what stage the European Media Freedom Act is currently in, Joveva replied that the negotiators still have at least one more round of political negotiations ahead of them, and she is optimistic that they will succeed in reaching a compromise on the final text.

“In preparing the media freedom act, it remains crucial that this legislation prevents any pressure on journalists, prohibits any interference in editorial decisions, and ensures the public publication of data.”

The MP concluded her part of the discussion by saying that she would be happy to continue her work as a European Member of Parliament with even greater energy and enthusiasm, if the voters decide so.

In addition to MP Irena Joveva, MPs Klemen Grošelj, Milan Brglez, Matjaž Nemec, Franc Bogovič and Milan Zver, as well as MPs Ljudmila Novak and Romana Tomc participated in the discussion. The discussion was moderated by journalist and editor-in-chief of Večer Matija Stepišnik.