Georgi_EP

 

1. Being a member of the Youth Council for the Future, you got the opportunity for an internship in Brussels. How come?

I have to say that I was really lucky to get this internship in the first place.

It all started during the Get2Gather event in Frankfurt in November 2013. There, following the Gala Event, all of us, the members of the Youth Council for the Future, had the opportunity to talk to people like Lars Thomsen (Chief Futurist, future matters, Ed.), David Marsh (Chairman, Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum. Ed.) and others who were present that evening. Just after the presentation of the European Youth Manifesto, written by the members of the YCF, and the actual founding of the YCF, I happened to be standing right next to Mr. Michael Gahler, whom I did not know prior and who turned out to be a member of the European Parliament. We began talking and among others things he mentioned the names of Bulgarian MEPs Mrs. Mariya Gabriel (EPP/GERB) and Mr. Andrey Kovatchev (EPP/GERB), whom he said he knows well and advised me to contact them, if I was interested in an internship at the European Parliament. I did just that and I was offered a one month internship in the office of Mrs. Gabriel at the EP in Brussels.

2. What were the fields that you got special insight in while working for MEP Mariya Gabriel?

Firstly, I want to highlight that I was very fortunate to work for Mrs. Gabriel. Before I went to Brussels, I had always been quite reserved about politicians. Now, after working for her, I am a little bit more positive about politics in general. From what I saw she is a very hard-working woman. She engages herself in a lot of initiatives, which gives her trainees a lot of choices to explore different committees and different structures of the EP itself. I can say that I was mostly interested in her work for the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality. I was happy to see that much is done towards the problems of women’s rights and gender equality, but really: It is a shame for humankind that there are still so many issues that are not solved yet in this direction.

3. Please describe your daily routine. What were your duties?

My daily routine and duties consisted of the following things: making everyday media monitoring, translating various press releases from English to Bulgarian and vice versa, following several parliamentary committees, for example the AGRI- Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, the LIBE- Committee on Civil Liberties, and FEMM- Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, as well as the EPP Group meetings, drawing minutes in English and following the vote.

4. What did you find most interesting, surprising or fascinating? Why?

I was very happy to find out how friendly and supportive Mrs. Gabriel’s whole team was. Her assistants were always ready to answer my endless questions and, most importantly, they did it with pleasure. Also, I found it quite interesting that my colleagues were not only Bulgarians. It was great fun to work in such an international and friendly environment.

In terms of fascinating things: I got the chance to talk to Mrs. Viviane Reading (Chairwoman of the Board of Patrons of “My Europe”, Ed.) after a conference organized by Mrs. Gabriel. That is at the top of the list. I still cannot believe that I talked to her!

5. Was there anything completely different from what you expected?

There were two main things that surprised me.

Firstly, I expected it to be much more formal. It was not. Politicians, after all, seem to be human beings, too!

Secondly, I expected that there would be a huge barrier between the MEPs and their trainees. At least with Mrs. Gabriel it was not like that. I was so happy to be able to talk to her a few times and to discuss with her my own views on some of the things happening in the parliament. It really feels great to express your opinion to a person like her and to hear her commenting on it.

6. How do you imagine your future professional life? What are your plans? Would you be interested in becoming an EU representative yourself?

At the moment I can imagine two paths for my professional life. On the one hand, I may continue to be a regular student for quite some time, and then perhaps work as a university teacher in Economics or Politics before moving into the intergovernmental stage, dealing with economic or political matters or both. On the other hand, I may develop one of my business ideas and become an entrepreneur. We will see.

7. Concerning the European Union, is there anything you would change about it?

I do not think there is a person who is happy with everything concerning the EU. There are a lot of things which could be changed for the better. It is always like this. There is one thing, however, which I have always thought to be the key and basis for coping with everything else easily – EDUCATION!

8. Georgi, tell us once again: “What is your Europe like?”

My Europe is a mystery. Just like all other places in the world. I am just a little bit more positive about the future of it and its impact on all mankind.

9. Do you have anything special you want to add?

Firstly, I want to say that I am very thankful to the whole “My Europe” team for giving me the opportunity to meet people like Mr. Michael Gahler in the first place!

Secondly, I am very thankful to Mrs. Mariya Gabriel for letting me experience first-hand how one of the main European institutions – the EP – operates.

Last but not least I want to thank all the people- new friends and strangers – who kindly helped me in various ways during my stay in Brussels, and contributed to my internship at the European Parliament becoming one of the most enjoyable, rewarding and motivating times of my life up until now.

 

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