Category: interview

A Family between War and Peace – A conversation with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis

Post author By Dir-Gen
Post date 16 April 2024
No Comments on A Family between War and Peace – A conversation with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis

Of the many politicians I follow online, no one communicates as clearly and effectively as the Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Gabrielius Landsbergis. I started following him with interest during the diplomatic tensions between Lithuania and China in 2021; the appreciation was mutual, as he also retweeted some of my memes; this fact particularly impressed my Lithuanian friends, even those that didn’t vote for his party: “He is cool, his whole family is cool”.

Reading more about him, I discovered the important role that the Landsbergis played in Lithuania history over the last centuries. And as I am a curious person, I decided to direct-message him and ask if he would agree to an interview. “Labas! That would be interesting, set it up with my advisor, she’s a fan of yours”. I thought this conversation could be interesting for DG MEME’s readers too, just as a reminder that the EU has a lot to offer, besides Macron, Von der Leyen and Sánchez.

DG Fabio Mauri, Eglė Šeputytė – Tarchanovė and Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis

interview

I’ve got you under my Schinas – A conversation on the European Way of Life

Post author By Dir-Gen
Post date 7 April 2024
No Comments on I’ve got you under my Schinas – A conversation on the European Way of Life

Interviewing Vice-President Margaritis Schinas, the Midday Matador, the Father-of-us-all DG COMMers, the EU’s favorite son… I didn’t think I could be up to the challenge, he is too good to let anything controversial slip. Nevertheless, after years of online interactions and memes, I gathered up my courage, contacted his communication advisor Vangelis Demiris and set up a meeting.

Director-General Fabio Mauri and Vice-President (VP) Margaritis Schinas, Commissioner for Promoting our European Way of Life

Tags european way of life, schinas

EU narrative interview

EUmanitarian Aid – An Interview with Commissioner Lenarčič

Post author By Dir-Gen
Post date 26 January 2024
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“Sorry, I have to leave you, I have an interview with DG MEME”
UNICEF UNGA September 2022
© Tina Štrafela

It is with a certain apprehension that I follow the social media account of Janez Lenarčič, Commissioner for Crisis Management: I know that every time he tweets chances are there’s been a catastrophe somewhere in the world.

EU civil protection and humanitarian aid, which means responding to disasters and crises by coordinating assistance and funding, is one of the many EU responsibilities. It is particularly relevant in these days of climate emergencies and wars, so I was very pleased when the Commissioner agreed to an interview.

Tags humanitarian aid

EU narrative interview

Quo Va(l)dis? A conversation with EVP Dombrovskis

Post author By Dir-Gen
Post date 18 October 2023
No Comments on Quo Va(l)dis? A conversation with EVP Dombrovskis

Since I was a trainee at the Commission I was always intrigued by Valdis Dombrovskis: his institutional smiles, his precise statements, his lulling voice… One day my curiosity took over and I finally reached out to his team, asking for a short interview. They were so kind to accept and, to my surprise, I discovered that the curiosity was mutual, as EVP Dombrovskis also reads DG MEME.

From left to right, DG Fabio Mauri, communication adviser Vanessa Mock and EVP Valdis Dombrovskis

EU narrative interview

Memories of a Vestagiaire

DG MEME had the pleasure to interview Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for the Digital Market. She is one of the most hard-working and appreciated EU politicians: she blasted Google, Apple, Gazprom, the French and German governments, and many others. Despite such powerful opponents, she always managed to remain impartial and unbiased.

EU narrative interview

Along the Baltic Way’s memory lane

Post author By Dir-Gen
Post date 23 August 2022
No Comments on Along the Baltic Way’s memory lane

Brave, daring and adventurous are not the first adjectives that come to mind when thinking about EU functionaries; the tabloid narrative wants them to be boring people, who work the bare minimum and just wait for an undeserved retirement. To fight this negative stereotype, DG MEME created a special unit called STARS (Spry Tattlers of Ancient and Radiant Stories), with the specific aim of collecting truly inspiring stories from our colleagues.

Latvian and Lithuanian Flag along the Baltic Way © Andrius Petrulevičius

Today we have the great pleasure of interviewing Laimutė Pilukaitė, from the Commission’s Representation in Vilnius, Lithuania. Her calm glance and gentle manners conceal her past in the freedom movement that successfully fought for the independence of the Baltic States and her involvement in one of the most legendary (and peaceful) protests of all time.

interview

In the beginning was the Word: conversation with the creator of the term Brexit

Post author By Dir-Gen
Post date 7 December 2020

Today we welcome Peter Wilding, solicitor, media director for the Conservatives, proud remainer, political commentator and, last but not the least, creator of the word Brexit.

“Brexit means Brexit…” How does it feel to give the enemies their most important word?

Tags brexit, uk

EU narrative interview

Parlement, the Interview

With Europe Day approaching and no way to celebrate it in person, we decided to binge-watch the TV series Parlement, a political comedy set in the European Parliament and available for free in France (but geoblocked, ironically) and for money in Belgium (believe it or not). We had some EU-talk with one of its authors, Maxime Calligaro, who also has experience in working for the EU Institutions.