1. Who have you worked with that has most inspired you in your career, and how?
Ahmed Dogan, the founder of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, my political party in Bulgaria. He is a political hero of mine who played a key role in my country’s transition from communism to democracy. At the time, a party that focused on minority rights was considered fringe. Now we are a political force to be reckoned with.
2. Is there anything you have personally achieved or done that would surprise people?
I grew up in a small village in the centre of Bulgaria and I have good experience in the production of agricultural products.
3. What is the most humbling thing you have experienced in your career?
I find elections to be the most humbling of all experiences; no matter how high you make it in your career as a politician, knocking on doors and convincing voters that your project is better than that of others. This democratic exercise makes us better representatives.
4. What do you do in your free time to relax and unwind?
Nature is my way to relax from the busy routine. I love hiking in the mountains. Bulgaria has beautiful nature and all Bulgarians enjoy it.
5. What was the most inspirational or influential book you have read and why?
I have a lot of favorite titles, but one of the most interesting books I would reread is Thomas Keneally’s 1982 novel Schindler's List. This is a wonderful book and a wonderful story. Schindler's List is a remarkable work of fiction based on the true story of survival. It gets you thinking about the past and serves as a red alarm not to repeat these mistakes in the future. Unfortunately, Russia’s aggression in Ukraine is increasingly taking us back to those times.