1. Who has most inspired you in your career, and how?
The people who have inspired me the most are my loved ones and family. They guided me in my early years, taught me to believe in myself and encouraged me to take every opportunity to enrich my mind and learn. It is through those exchanges that I developed my curiosity about the world, history and politics and the relations between people and countries.
2. What is the one piece of technology you could not live without?
The aeroplane. Without it I would not be able to leave Brussels in the morning, attend a conference in Sofia until 5pm and be back in Brussels for dinner with my boyfriend Niklas. Time and distance are two major factors in my work, because the activities of an MEP are spread across the whole of Europe.
3. Is there anything you have achieved or done that would surprise people?
They say women who work do not have time to cook, but I enjoy throwing dinner parties, taking my time to prepare different dishes and experiment. Having lived in many different places, I have a great appreciation of the culture of dining and food.
4. What do you do to relax and unwind?
As well as spending time with loved ones, I am a sports fan, and use every opportunity to take long walks in the nearest mountain or forest, swim, or ski in the winter. There is nothing like being in nature to free your mind and get inspired.
5. What is the most inspirational book you have read and why?
The character I find particularly inspiring is Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind. Determined, intelligent, persistent and confident, she never loses hope or her passion for life.
Eva Paunova (EPP, BG) is a member of Parliament's internal market and consumer protection committee