Loïc Hervé is the youngest member of the French Senate, he chaired the committee for friendship with Bulgaria. He is 36 years old, married with three children. Hervé is not only a senator but also a mayor of the department of Marne, located in the foothills of the Alps. He will be in Bulgaria until the end of this week together with a large French delegation. Hervé took part in the events of the Week of Francophone in Vratsa. By the end of his visitation he will also visit the French Embassy in Sofia and Rila Monastery.
– Is this your first time in Bulgaria, Mr. Herve?
No, the second. My first visit was in Sofia only, but now I have the honor to visit the beautiful city of Vratsa. I am just beginning to get to know the country and for me it is a real pleasure.
– What are your first impressions – situation, people, atmosphere?
-Very nice and sunny. Vratsa is a wonderful city with spectacular nature. People here are very hospitable. I already feel most of them like friends.
-Which events are you going to attend within your visit to our country?
-I am an honorable guest of two symphonic concerts – in Vratsa and Sofia. I have a meeting with the French ambassador. At the end of the visit the group and I will go to the Rila Monastery, because it was recommend to us as a tourist attraction.
– As a chairman of the Senate’s friendship group for France and Bulgaria, in which areas do you see a possibility for an effective cooperation between the two countries?
-The moment for cooperation in almost all fields is very important because Bulgaria will soon take over the presidency of the European Union. Therefore it is necessary to deepen our relations in the fields of economy, culture, art, social sphere. It is also important for us to be partners in tourism. I am a mayor in a region with huge touristic potential and I can see many similarities with Bulgaria especially regarding winter tourism. For the French citizens your country is an interesting and close destination. The flight itself takes two hours. This makes us almost neighbors. It is important to reveal our common potential, as a desirable destinations, for Asian and American tourists and to promote a mutual exchange of tourists from both our countries.
– Do you support the idea of a “two-speed Europe” and where do you think Bulgaria will stand?
-This year marks the 10th year of Bulgaria’s membership in the EU. This was an important period of adaptation for your country. Your question is very difficult. The truth is that a lot of people in France believe that the European Union is expanding too rapidly and this process must be stopped. I think this is quite wrong. I believe that Western Europe should help Eastern Europe to catch up on its development. I think we need to strengthen the relations between each other so we can help actively the union on the continent. I do not accept the idea of destroying something existing so we could start over.
– How do you combine your duties of a senator and a mayor?
– So far I was combining two positions, and the law allowed me to do so. Although, I’m a father of three children and I live in the Alps, every week I traveled to Paris to do my work as a senator and to explain what I have done so far for the region (department). The logistics were complex, but I felt satisfied because with my first position I was serving the local interests of the population, while with the other I was helping my country. In six months, however, there will be some changes in legislation which will prohibit this kind of practice and I will have to choose only one of the positions.
– What kind of decision will you take? Are you going to be a mayor or a senator?
The choice is difficult. It’s like asking you to choose between your parents. However, I will choose the Senate because my mission there is very important. I was a mayor for the last nine years. I think I gave a lot of myself. I have been in the Senate for two years and a half. I want to do more for my country, especially in the field of international relations.
