Working in the Bundestag gave me a great opportunity to gain valuable experience

Yotov has no plans to get involved in Bulgarian politics again after failing to be elected to the European Parliament

published on 8/19/24 12:56 PM

Photo: Personal archive

Living abroad is nothing new for Marin Yotov. In fact, he could be considered a global citizen, having lived in several European capitals by the age of 34. Currently living and working in Berlin, Marin's life has taken him through Sofia, Vienna and Stockholm, as his mother's diplomatic career took her to Austria and Sweden.

With time, Marin admits, you get used to changing cities, people and atmospheres. He had 7 or 8 different schools during his 12 years of schooling, which was particularly challenging in his teenage years. This frequent change of environment during his adolescence teaches Marin an important lesson about adaptability - he quickly realises that either he gets used to change and makes the most of it, or he fails.

Marin graduated from St Kliment Ohridski University in Sofia with a bachelor's degree in Balkan history and geopolitics. He applied and was accepted for a six-month internship in the German Parliament. Towards the end of the internship, however, he received an offer from the MP he was assisting to continue working with him. The Bulgarian accepted and has remained in the Bundestag to this day, although he now works for a different MP. Marin also told us what a working day in the German parliament is like:

"I prepare opinions and speeches for the MEP I work for on issues related to agriculture and food. I also answer written questions from his constituents and maintain his contacts with the various departments, ministries and institutions in the country".

His experience in the Bundestag encouraged Martin, a young man of conviction and active citizenship, to enter the race for one of the 17 seats representing Bulgaria in the European Parliament on 9 June this year.

"Living abroad was never an ambition for me. I've always been interested in what's going on in Bulgaria because that's where my family and friends live. I have a desire to use what I have learnt in the last 10 years for the benefit of Bulgaria. But the truth is that I see myself in a European rather than a national framework. The party I ran for has its own structures abroad, which actually nominated me," Marin recalls.

However, the Bulgarian is adamant that he has no plans to run for political office in his country in the near future, as it would be difficult to combine with his intensive work in Berlin and his family commitments as a proud father of two. Marin owes his work in the Bundestag to meeting his wife, who is also an assistant to a German MP.

But how does the family keep its relationship with Bulgaria alive with such a busy daily life in the German capital?

"We try to go back to Bulgaria as often as we can, but in the last few years, especially with the two children, it's been a bit more difficult because of school and so on," admits Marin.

We try to keep abreast of what's going on there and we have a lot of friends we stay in touch with. We try to make sure that our two children know and understand Bulgarian. We only speak Bulgarian at home, and my son goes to a Bulgarian school once a week," he adds.

Photos: Personal archive

English version by Elizabeth Radkova

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