"Regarding North Macedonia, France insists on respecting the agreement that was signed under the French presidency of the European Union. This agreement is the only guarantee of compliance with all the conditions for the country's accession to the EU. France supports the enlargement of the European Union to the Western Balkans. Of course, it cannot happen under any conditions."
This is what French Senator Loïc Hervé of the Centrist Alliance group said in an interview with BGNES. Hervé is deputy president of the Senate and chairman of the France-Bulgaria friendship group, a member of the foreign affairs and defence and armed forces committees and vice-chairman of the France-Western Balkans group.
Asked by BGNES whether France is worried about the growing Russian influence in the Western Balkans and Serbia's categorical refusal to impose sanctions against Putin's regime, Loïc Hervé replied.
"Trump's appearance in the US elections and the war in Ukraine have opened our eyes to the challenges of the modern world. They have also opened our eyes to the dependencies we have within NATO. We have understood the need to strengthen our security and our capabilities. Europe must be able to cope with and combat any external influence, even more so Russian influence. Both France and Bulgaria can be victims of this influence."
"A strong message was sent to Serbia with President Macron's visit to the country. The signing of the agreement between the two countries on the sale of 12 French Rafale fighter jets is a sign that the country (Serbia) belongs fully and completely to the European family. Defence cooperation with Serbia is pushing the country further towards the EU. Of course, it also shows their trust in the European institutions and at the same time it is our requirement," the senator added.
Asked how the sale of French aircraft to Russia's biggest ally in the Balkans - Belgrade - helps the region's European path, He explained:
"This is a topic we are following closely. We should have a broad concept of the region. Relations between France and Serbia go back a long time. This compels each country to maintain close relations with each other. The worst thing we can do with regard to Serbia is to show indifference, because that would turn the country, or confirm the natural tendency, towards the Putin regime. This is the idea of French diplomacy in international terms. Europe's treasure is peace. Every time a new country joins the EU, it is a guarantee that this country is able to put conflicts behind it and work with its neighbours. This allows us to move forward and avoid a repeat of the war in Yugoslavia before the 1990s."
Senator Hervé stressed that "the friendship between Bulgaria and France has existed for more than 145 years."
"Friendship must be deepened and we are making efforts in this direction. The first priority is for France to get to know Bulgaria better so that it can fully assume the role it is entitled to on the international and European stage - full membership in Schengen and the euro area. In today's world, the concept of sovereignty is no longer just national, it is becoming continental, European. This sovereignty passes through a deepening of the economic partnership between the two countries, which would be beneficial for both France and Bulgaria. The important thing is that we can do this within the European family with a sense of brotherhood and sharing. We must also pay greater attention to youth. I am a 44-year-old senator, I have been in the Senate for 10 years. The future of Europe is in the youth and we must pay more attention to their needs and aspirations," the French politician said. | BGNES
