The friendship between Serbs and French people is genuine, although it is unfortunately not at the high level it was decades ago, said Paul Antoine, a political analyst and president of the Association for French-Serbian Friendship.
“We must distinguish between the French state and its people, as public opinion significantly differs from the stance of the current government. Migration in recent years has heavily influenced this situation because France today is not the same as it was 40-50 years ago,” emphasized Paul Antoine.
Paul Antoine holds a degree in political science from London and completed postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade. He lives and works in Paris and serves as the general secretary of the French “Collective for Peace in Kosovo.”
“The Serbian people in Republika Srpska and Kosovo are exceptionally hospitable, far from the barbarians they are portrayed as in Western Europe. Our goal is to restore French-Serbian friendship by lobbying through various projects. We bring French journalists and politicians to these areas, aiming to change public perception and counter the narrative that Serbs are barbarians,” Antoine stated.
He noted that Serbs in Kosovo live under significant repression by Albin Kurti, while in Republika Srpska, he sees a proud and dignified people who value their freedom.
“I am impressed by the institutions of Republika Srpska, which, while not a state, possess all the characteristics of such governance. Despite not having statehood for now, you enjoy much greater freedom than many peoples in so-called democratic societies,” Antoine added.
Source: RTRS
