“It’s not necessarily bad if things don’t go according to plan.”

On Friday, April 17, 2026, MEP Irena Joveva attended a round table at the I. Gymnasium in Celje and spoke openly with students about her study and career path and the challenges she faces in politics. She emphasized that studying international relations was not her first choice, but it later turned out to be the right decision. She also told young people that not everything in life has to go according to plan, as unexpected paths can turn out to be the best.

She pointed out that her studies had given her a breadth of thinking and an understanding of global events, as well as the awareness that the individual is not always at the center of everything. She highlighted humanity as a key value, which in her opinion remains the most important also in politics.

She also presented her work at the European level to the students, where she had participated in important legislative changes, including in the areas of digitalization, artificial intelligence, personal data protection and media legislation. She stressed the importance of perseverance, as decision-making processes are often lengthy, but can nevertheless bring about positive changes:

“Not all politicians are the same. There are also those of us who care about what we were elected to do. If I didn’t believe in it, I wouldn’t be in it, but it’s not always the easiest thing to believe in positive change.”

She also touched on the position of women in politics and society, where, in her opinion, differences in treatment still exist. She emphasized that motherhood and career are not mutually exclusive, although balancing the two roles is not easy, and she wants to be an example that it is possible to successfully combine the two.

The MEP spoke about the challenges faced by young people in the labour market, especially the difficulties in gaining their first work experience. She noted that the European Union’s powers in this area are limited, but that they are nevertheless working towards improvements, such as fairer conditions for traineeships.

She also placed particular emphasis on the importance of tolerance and acceptance of diversity, which was shaped by her upbringing in a diverse environment. She was critical of the role of politics and social media in spreading intolerance:

“Freedom of speech is one thing, hate speech is something else entirely, and the line between the two is not as thin as people think.”

At the conclusion of the round table, which also included MEP Milan Zver, Joveva encouraged young people to think, being informed, curious and active citizens who are able to make independent judgments and participate responsibly in society.