INTERVIEW
BY LJUBICA GOJGIĆ
FRANCE FAVOURS SWIFT EU ACCESSION FOR
WESTERN BALKANS The European political community concept is by no means an alternative to European Union membership. Its aim is to set up an area of solidarity and cooperation in the fields of security, energy, common investments and transport between EU member states and non-member states that share the same values ~ Pierre Cochard H.E. PIERRE COCHARD
R
elations between the EU and Serbia haven’t been reduced to just the issue of sanctions against Russia, i.e., foreign policy alignment, says French Ambassador Pierre Cochard in this CorD Magazine interview. He reminds us of the strong ties between Serbia and the EU in the economic domain, the Union’s support to Serbia’s reform processes, and cooperation in the areas of culture and education. However, Ambassador Cochard still emphasises that “progressive alignment with the EU’s common
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BUSINESS PARTNER | FRANCE 2022
AMBASSADOR OF FRANCE TO SERBIA
foreign policy is a clear accession prerequisite”, and one that becomes particularly important during times of war and crisis, as confirmation of Serbia remaining “consistent with its European choice”. ■ Your Excellency, France has completed two election cycles, at both the presidential and parliamentary levels. Considering President Emmanuel Macron’s new mandate and the results of June’s parliamentary elections, what
will France’s priorities be, particularly on the European front? - France will remain committed to strengthening the EU’s strategic autonomy and supporting more efficient decision-making processes. We want to respond to the unprecedented challenges we have been facing so far – pandemics, war, food security and climate – while preserving political, economic and social values that characterise the EU. To this end, President Macron shall uphold the priorities he outlined during his previous mandate.
