[2] She worked as a journalist for the Law Programme of the Bulgarian National Radio while being an Assistant Professor at Sofia University.

As an anchor, she participated in various campaigns related ti human rights, such as the abolition of the death penalty, which still existed at that time in the country.

In August 2001 Kuneva left her position in the Bulgarian parliament because she was appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chief Negotiator of the Republic of Bulgaria with the European Union.

She held that job even after the 2005 parliamentary elections, when NDSV became a junior partner in the Bulgarian Socialist Party-dominated coalition government of Sergey Stanishev – the only minister of the former cabinet to retain her post.

Later that year she founded a political party Bulgaria for Citizens movement, which in 2014 secured places in the parliaments as part of the bigger right centrist alliance Reformist bloc.

Kuneva was elected member of parliament and then became a Deputy Prime Minister, resposnible for foreign affairs, regugee agency and data protectio unit.