The reason we called Eva Maydell was the news that she is the only Bulgarian, part of the prestigious ranking of global platform "Apolitical", which shows who the most influential young politicians in the world are. The list contains a hundred names of politicians up to 35 years of age from around the world. Despite the enormous competition, Eva managed to win a place in the top twenty. The other 19 positions are occupied by politicians from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the African Union, Sierra Leone, India, Kenya, Malaysia and Israel. According to Eva Maydell being part of this ranking, brings huge responsibility that requires both consistency and hard work on priorities not only for the EU but also for the world. She says that the recognition will not stop her efforts to improve the quality of education, provide more opportunities for business development as well as more opportunities for citizens and the economy to benefit from technology development:

“I think that young people need to be represented in politics and have the chance to use their ideas to positively influence our society. That's why the Apolitical ranking shows that if you had the skills and qualities you could change the environment you live in, no matter your age. So I wish there were more young people whose successful projects would benefit this country.”

What are the achievements of the European Commission in the current mandate in regard to young people, and what is the Europe they want to live in, are questions that are becoming more and more relevant on the eve of the European elections. Six months remain until the EP configuration changes but uncertainty has been growing. The deal reached between Britain and the EU on Brexit has not yet influenced the economy, but after the United Kingdom left the Union, turbulence could be expected and this should not be underestimated. At the backdrop of serious challenges faced by the European family came a speech by former US President Barack Obama in which he described the EU as one of the greatest political achievements in the world. The same opinion is shared by Bulgarian MEP of the European People's Party, Eva Maydell.

“The young generation in the European Union is definitely more familiar with the benefits of European integration. These are the people who travel and study freely; who have the opportunity to get to know different cultures and traditions. They make friends outside of their own country. That is precisely why the Erasmus program is the most successful EU project in the field of education and culture. About 9 million European citizens, including many Bulgarians, have benefited from the possibility of student exchange programs. I call this the ‘Erasmus generation’ and it has been working for improving youth policies at EU level. Statistics show that students participating in the Erasmus program are three times more likely to vote in elections than those who have not taken part in the program. It is expected that the available funds for Erasmus + for 2019 will rise by nearly 300 million euros. This is nearly 10% and in the next programming the rise will double.”

This year work on another project, aiming to make young people get to know and understand Europe, has started. The program provides 15 000 free train tickets for young people to visit another EU Member State and learn about its culture and traditions. For many, this would also be their first trip abroad without their parents, allowing them to become more independent.

English: Alexander Markov