A notorious photo of Irena Joveva, then still a journalist. With a step stool in front of the SDS headquarters. Dreadful, shameful, whose interests does she represent, did she use a step stool to climb into office … I could read all this nonsense (and more) about myself. But not when the photo was taken – which was on the day of the 2018 parliamentary elections ­– when nobody was bothered by that poor little step stool yet. Except me, because it wasn’t the easiest thing to stand on. 😁 It started bothering people later, when I was elected to the European Parliament. Because they simply had to find something, and this is what they pulled out. Oh, ha ha, how very funny it is that Irena Joveva is standing on a step stool.

Right, let it be funny. I have no problem with that. But I do have a problem with the fact that they also make fun of much more serious things.

What am I talking about?

I’m talking about the fact that the long-standing, legendary Studio City presenter Marcel Štefančič is leaving the show. Because that’s what the people in charge have decided. I’m not even going to mention who is to replace him because … because I prefer to quote Marcel: “What is happening now is a twilight zone. I cannot imagine what is in the heads of people who come up with such ideas.”

… And, if I may add, I do know what is in the heads of people who come up with such ideas. They are corrupt, unscrupulous, perverted, despicable heads of enforced conformity, propaganda, discrediting and the desire to devastate everything and everyone who dares to critically evaluate them or the developments related to them.

I am talking about the fact that today is World Press Freedom Day. And that Slovenia has slipped 18 places on the press freedom index, now ranking 54^th. The worst showing in its history. And about the fact that on this very day – how ironic – the model offered to us by the current government has once again ‘proven its worth’. The luckily outgoing government, which, unfortunately, still has enough cronies it has appointed to numerous posts to still be able to cause damage.

To use its final breaths to present all this as “concern” for “media pluralism” and as a fiction that critical media and journalists are linked to communist forces or some other ghosts of the past. That this is a political battle, right vs left and vice versa.

No, it isn’t. It’s very simple. This is nothing but a model of authoritarian, partisan, illiberal hijacking of the state and complete subjugation of the media space. It is an attempt to destroy the public service broadcaster RTV and critical reporting.

If media freedom falls, democracy falls. I am sorry to have to write about this on this day. And I hope with all my heart that on this day a year from now, I will be able to write about better times for journalism in Slovenia. Not only because of the change of power, but also because I sincerely count on European legislation. I count on the forthcoming European Media Freedom Act, which will help us to not only be ‘extremely concerned’ when such things happen in the EU, but will give us a stronger tool to fight power structures that think they can do whatever they like. They can’t. They won’t. Never again!

– Irena

On Wednesday 20 April 2022, MEP Irena Joveva took part in an online debate with the European Parliament’s Student Ambassadors entitled “If I Were to Decide” (Če bi jaz odločal(a)) on preventing addiction among young people. Unfortunately, addiction is not a rare phenomenon, and the young people taking part in the debate shared their views on the issue and explored possible policy solutions with MEP Joveva. They agreed that the most important thing is to prevent addiction from developing in the first place. Young people most often try drugs out of curiosity and to prove themselves to their peers, but they need to realise that they will only be really “cool” if they are good people, underscored the MEP.

Joveva began by outlining some facts about addiction that have come out of European research. Young people often turn to cigarettes and alcohol at an early age because both are relatively easy to access. The use of soft and hard drugs is also relatively high. The MEP is in favour of legalising cannabis for both medical and personal use, along the lines of some other European countries, but considers it important to regulate the quantities permitted for cultivation and possession, set age limits and restrict abuse. She takes a more radical view on hard drugs, wanting them to be eradicated completely. Just as worrying are non-chemical addictions, with addictions to electronic devices particularly on the rise. The pandemic has only exacerbated the problems in all areas of addiction.

The initial exchange was followed by presentations by secondary school pupils, based on workshops organised in schools. Their main message was that it all starts at home. This is where the healthy development of adolescents with a positive self-image should be ensured. In the students’ opinion peer relationships and other supportive environments – shaped by relatives, acquaintances, neighbours and teachers – are also very important. The students added that there is a lack of awareness-raising and education, both for young people and for the elderly. The MEP also highlighted the increasing pressures from the environment:

“Why is addiction a problem with many young people? They are looking for something to help them forget their problems, and it is usually due to these problems that they succumb to addiction. The epidemic has made things worse and you have made an excellent suggestion that young people should be taught how to resist these temptations. Especially during adolescence, when the temptations to prove oneself are even greater. As a society, we put enormous pressure on young people. We live in a world of competition and consumerism because we think it will make us happy.”

According to Joveva, young people try drugs out of curiosity, but there are always deeper factors at play for developing addiction. A sense of self-worth can only be gained in a community, so we need to rethink our values as a society, she said. The various funds available within the European Union provide substantial resources for the implementation of addiction prevention programmes. In addition, it is also important to tighten controls over drug dealers and to carry out investigations which must lead to conclusion, that is to say, to the exposure of the criminal networks that control the market in illicit substances.

One of the proposals was to raise the age limit for buying alcohol and tobacco products. The MEP was critical of Slovenia’s attitude towards alcohol:

“Every major event is an opportunity for a toast, so it is vital that adults behave all the more responsibly not to entice young people to drinking and to prevent them from coming into contact with alcohol. Raising the age limit is unlikely to help.”

NGOs and help centres were also mentioned. Joveva said that these already exist, but there is a need for better information and awareness-raising about who young people and their parents can turn to. Cooperation between the responsible institutions at the national, regional and local levels is not effective enough. In the spirit of the time we live in, a special focus in the debate was placed on non-chemical addiction. This is a growing problem, faced by young and old alike. “Today we live in a world where many things are done digitally, and it is important to learn digital literacy at an early age. But the key is to know how to use technology properly,” she said. She does not think that technological abstinence is a realistic option, as many functions cannot be performed without technology. “We should reduce the use of technology, use softer approaches or offer alternatives, but I don’t agree with the stick approach, punishing bad behaviour. Adolescents need to realise themselves that spending so much time on the internet is problematic. In the long run, this is the only effective approach to take.” She also reiterated the urgent need to change the value system of young people: “You aren’t cool if you smoke and drink, you are cool if you are a good person!”

Watch the whole discussion:

On Tuesday, 12 April 2022, MEP Irena Joveva took part in a debate organised by the PIP Institute at the Secondary School of Economics and Gymnasium Maribor, where she spoke with students about media literacy. She stressed that the European Union is working to strengthen media literacy and critical thinking through various instruments under its competence, including the Action Plan to Support the Recovery and Transformation of the Media and Audiovisual Sector, the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027 and the European Democracy Action Plan.

Joveva highlighted the importance and purpose of media literacy, which is increasingly important due to the widespread use of social networks. These are linked to an increase in the volume of fake news and disinformation, while, unfortunately, recognising credible information is not part of the school curriculum:

“Media literacy is an essential skill that every individual must acquire, as it allows for the critical assessment and evaluation of the information received and for the ability to distinguish between what is true and what is false.”

Joveva therefore believes that Member States should overhaul their courses and that the European Union should be able to take action when these are found deficient. In her view, the creation of a European educational programme and the Digital Education Action Plan are important steps in the right direction.

She also observed that fear is a key emotion, which is exploited by many people in charge. We have seen and experienced this during the epidemic, and Slovenia is no exception.

Sonja Merljak Zdovc, founder of the children’s newspaper Časoris, and Matija Stepišnik, editor-in-chief of the newspaper Večer, also took part in the debate. Merljak Zdovc spoke about the importance of critically assessing news and identifying propaganda, with extremes being a good indicator that something is wrong with a news item. We need to be alert to news items that are too nice and positive, but also to those that are overly negative.

Stepišnik continued by saying that trust and credibility are the basic currency of a good media: “When a media outlet starts to lose credibility, when it is caught in a lie, or when it has distorted, manipulated or poorly checked a piece of a news story in order simply to publish it as quickly as possible, it may lose the most critical readers, listeners or viewers in the long run, if not others.” The race against time that journalists and media outlets are subjected to in order to deliver news to the public as quickly as possible is, in his view, damaging to the business of journalism and leads to lower journalistic and editorial standards. Nevertheless, he believes that there are still enough media outlets in Slovenia that remain a bastion of journalistic professionalism.

In conclusion, Joveva added that it is important that every journalist is aware of their mission, of why they are doing the job and, above all, that they work in the public interest. The guiding principle of every journalist should be to provide the public with verified, truthful and real information and to present things exactly as they are.

To watch the full conversation, click HERE.

On Thursday, 31 March 2022, MEP Irena Joveva was hosted by the national TV channel of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BHT1. A group of MEPs, including Joveva, addressed a letter to Bosnian politicians, drawing attention to the problem of funding of the national radio broadcaster of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BHRT.

Due to having had its accounts blocked by the tax administration, the public media service is prevented from working normally. The letter should primarily serve as an appeal to the authorities to resolve the issue of BHRT’s funding, to show that they understand the importance of independent public service media, and to allow them to perform their function of informing the public of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Indeed, one of the 14 priorities listed by the European Union as a condition for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s candidate status is an independent and functioning public service media. Joveva stressed that meeting these conditions would allow the country to access a wide range of funds for infrastructure, education, employment and support for agriculture. Until these priorities are met, citizens cannot benefit from projects that that would improve their lives. She added that this is one of the tests of the country’s political maturity. Since the problem has arisen within the country, no outside interventions can be counted on. Rather, it is the politicians themselves who must take responsibility in a mature and democratic way and find a solution. The public service media are the basis of any healthy and functioning society. Citizens must have access to independent information, as this is the only way for them to be able to monitor the work of the politicians they have elected and hold them to account. “The public service media must not be hostage to political games”, she concluded.

The full interview can be found at the link below:

On Friday, 20 March 2022, MEP Irena Joveva chatted live on Instagram with Jerca Korče, a National Assembly deputy and Vice-Chair of the LMŠ party. They touched on a number of interesting topics such as motherhood, women and young people in politics, demography and the current election campaign. They stressed, among other things, that politicians need to be aware of people’s real problems and expressed their conviction that the April elections will give a boost to the younger generation.

Korče and Joveva first chatted about their new roles in life, as they have both become mothers in the last year and are balancing motherhood and their work in the Slovenian and European Parliaments, respectively. Jerca Korče and her partner have agreed that she will return to the National Assembly after a few months, while her partner will take the rest of the parental leave. “I doubt that when he took parental leave, he had the right idea of what it would be like, because he now says that he is more tired than when he had to work twelve hours a day,” said Korče, who believes that a child really needs its mother by its side for the first five months, after which the father can take over, and that it is important for employers to be understanding of such decisions. However, she admits that balancing motherhood and work is exhausting. Joveva, too, wanted very much to be a mother: “I have always wished that someone should call me mum, but I don’t only want to be a mother, or a wife, or an MEP. Yes, it is exhausting, but the two of us see it as a challenge and I am now even happier and more eager to do certain things because I have someone in the next generation to think about.”

In the months after giving birth, both Korče and Joveva had to deal with chauvinistic and inappropriate comments. Although there aren’t many in everyday communication, they are all the more profuse in the virtual world. “This other world, the world of Twitter, allows for anonymous comments and trolls, and the things you read there make you wonder if it’s even possible that a human being would write something like that. Stay at home, go and breastfeed, I pity your child with a mother like that, and so on. I haven’t got used to this, much less accepted it, because we need to fight it, but I try not to let it get to me,” said Korče.

The two parliamentarians also commented on the statement by the current Minister of the Economy, Zdravko Počivalšek, who speculated with unplausible demographic goals that in ten years’ time there would be as many as three million Slovenes: “Such statements are inappropriate. It is up to every woman to decide whether she wants to have a child, and the state must provide the conditions for young people to be able to make this decision. If they are serious about demography, then they should start with tackling the housing problem,” insisted Korče, while Joveva agreed that the statement by Počivalšek was absurd. They mentioned the fun fact of the wider LMŠ team taking good care of the higher birth rate, with eleven babies born in this term, three of them to the teams of MEPs Irena Joveva and Klemen Grošelj.

They also touched on the painful experience of both of them   ̶  spontaneous abortion. Jerca Korče was clear: “Abortion is a constitutional right and a free choice. To curtail this right is to infringe on a woman’s freedom. To me, that is final and there is nothing else to discuss. I will always fight for this right.” The two women agreed that it was important that they have spoken out about this experience because as politicians sharing their personal traumatic experience, they have shown other women that they are not alone.

From here on, the conversation focused on more political topics. LMŠ is a party that gives opportunities to young people in every way and opens up space for them. In turn, young people are becoming more and more engaged, believes Korče:

“Since the referendum on water, I see that the generation that has recently been given the right to vote is much more engaged than mine used to be. When I speak to students at round tables, they view politics differently, they have much more formed opinions and they are much more aware of what the right to vote means. I expect great things from them when they stand up for justice and articulate their political views. These elections will give a boost to the younger generation.”

Both Korče and Joveva are members of committees on culture and are concerned about the brutal interference of politics in culture and the media. “Straight after the elections, media laws will have to be passed to prevent the influence of politics and enable the appointment of professional staff. The role of culture, freelance artists and art has always been to criticise and when you are in office you have to accept this as something good because it holds up a mirror to you”, stressed Jerca Korče.

The two parliamentarians also expressed dissatisfaction with the current number of women in politics, as it does not reflect their actual interest in politics, but rather the attitude of parties that do not place women candidates in seats they have a real chance of winning. “Politics is not an exclusively male world, this is a misconception. If you want to enter politics, don’t think about this and don’t let it scare you away”, added Joveva, who also stressed the responsibility of the media, which in the case of women politicians often report on their dress, hairstyle, marital status, whether they have children, etc.

The final topic of the conversation was the election campaign. According to Korče, the most important thing for a politician is to keep in touch with reality. “As a politician, you have to be aware of people’s real problems. If you become too removed, you no longer see that people are on the edge of survival, that they live on the minimum wage … It is only on the basis of this understanding that you can adopt the right measures.” A significant lack of such understanding can also be observed in the European Parliament, added Joveva: “With so many Member States and MEPs, this is even more noticeable. When making your choice as a voter at the polling station, it is precisely this that you should base your support for a politician on.” What they also find disconcerting is the normalisation and consequent growth of blatant and shameless lies in politics, as it is very difficult to fight lies with the truth.

And where does Jerca Korče see herself in the future? “As a politician, I don’t ask myself where I see myself. You shouldn’t ask yourself this question, because it means you are only interested in getting a political post. You have to ask yourself what you are going to do for the community,” she concluded.

You can watch the full conversation on MEP Joveva’s Instagram profile.