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Outgoing French ambassador in Bucharest Laurence Auer said in an interview for AGERPRES that she spent "three extraordinary years" in Romania, the dominant of which were the many meetings with people and just little office work, confessing also that she will take her Brasov-manufactured Pegas bicycle with her on her next diplomatic mission.
After the Covid-19 pandemic, followed by the onset of Russia's war on Ukraine, Laurence Auer says that now, more than ever, there is need for Romania in the Schengen Area, because "the EU's external borders pass through Romania. We have enough challenges today to think that it is better to have Romania in the Schengen."
Regarding the Moldova Support Platform initiated by France, Romania and Germany, Laurance Auer states that it attracts international funds, but that there is also a very important ongoing bilateral Franco-Romanian effort for the Republic of Moldova.
In the interview, the diplomat notes that there were plenty of difficult moments during the pandemic, but they were followed by gestures of solidarity on the part of France - delivery of medicines, takeover of patients in serious condition etc., but that the Ukraine war was the second tough moment.
"The beginning of the war was a horrible moment. The date of February 24 will remain in my memory for the rest of my life. There was also a very strong bilateral cooperation on daily intelligence regarding the situation on the Romanian border with Ukraine," said the French ambassador.
Auer also dwelled on some extraordinary moments, including March 6 [2022], the date of the arrival of the French troops deployed to Romania - an exceptional moment, "because it was no longer just me and my team. France was also present here with its army." Then there was President Macron's June 15 visit to Constanta. "In two years we received four visits of the Defense minister, four visits by the Foreign Affairs ministers - Mr. Le Drian, Mrs. Colonna, Mr. Lecornu, Mrs. Parly. These are equally dedicated gentlemen and ladies, who came either to show their support for the troops, or to announce, to structure the French presence," said the French diplomat.
To these add the visits of French lawmakers who "either came to prepare the French Presidency [of the EU Council], or went to the Ukrainian border with donations."
The French diplomat remarked that Romania and France have a very strong strategic partnership, which is moving forward under the guidance of Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Klaus Iohannis.
Laurence Auer praises Romania's francophone penchant, which, she says, "is a strong point. No other country has such a dynamic francophone component, with 120 university institutions that offer diplomas for bilingual specializations, 15 Franco-Romanian alliances in European universities."
Laurence Auer also has Romanian ancestry, with a grandfather originally from the eastern town of Chilia Veche; his family emigrated to France in 1903, and he received French citizenship in 1910; the Legion d'Honneur awardee diplomat takes her Pegas bicycle built in Brasov wherever life takes her, stating that it stuck to her soul as "a symbol of freedom, the emblem of the '70s, when I was able to take my first trips as a child."
