Chavdar Vlachkov

Chavdar Vlachkov, a true jack of all trades, joins us to chat about what's going on in Bulgaria, and its path on joining the Euro - which it will, s tarting January 2026. We talk about media freedom, the rule of law, the unfolding water crises, and the unfortunate role the EU is playing is fueling its sprawling oligarchy. Moreover, how does he enjoy Brussels after 15 years in Europe's capital?

I'm joined in the European Parliament by three brave women, who risked it all to help bring change and democracy in Iran. Whilst doing so, they lost everything and had to move to Europe. We chat about this, but also what Europe could do. And no worries, the few sentences in Farsi are translated live.

Tom Moylan, after nearly 10 years in the European Commission, decided he wanted to build his immediate community: from Brussels to his home. He founded Moylan Communications, Brussels' policy-driven comms agency; spearheaded work Restless Brussels, to get his fellow citizens involved; and became a father of two, perhaps his toughest and most rewarding challenge.

Lena Eisenreich has visited 85 countries and was present alongside Manfred Weber, the European Parliament's candidate, when Ursula von der Leyen was elected as President of the European Commission. When she unplugs, you can find her at Brussels' open-air music events, or reading War & Peace at Park Josaphat.

Jeroen Reijnen has spent nearly 30 years in Brussels, currently in the Commission, but previously in Parliament with the liberals and Guy Verhofstadt. Building upon his experiences and network, he authored Big in Brussels, his reflection and advice on breaching the city's walls and how to remain within them. Of course, he also tells us how he unplugs!

Bruegel's Rebecca Christie joins me to chat about the possible expansion of ESG to include defence and dual-use technology, and living in Europe as an American. Of course, we also dive into transatlantic relations and how she unplugs.

Suriname's Ambassador to the EU, Gilbêrt van Lierop, joins us to chat about the rich cultural heritage of Suriname, the state of global affairs, the impact of technology on society, the importance of environmental sustainability, and how he unplugs by detoxing from tech 🍻

Fidias just joined the European Parliament, and being 25 he is one of our youngest representatives. He's bringing young life to a bureaucratic institution with his digital native approach. He's also Cypriot and adamant about helping his people - how does he do it? What's the day-to-day in Cyprus? And which cuisine is better, Italian or Cypriot?

Tune in, unplug, and let us know what you think!