KONDIĆ-PANIĆ: REPRESENTATION OFFICE TO STRENGTHEN TIES BETWEEN SRPSKA AND FRANCE

BANJALUKA, JULY 31 /SRNA/ - The newly appointed Head of the Representation Office of Republika Srpska in France Bojana Kondić-Panić told SRNA it is a great honor to continue promoting Srpska's economic, cultural, and tourism potential in this role, thus contributing to the further strengthening of ties between the Serb and French peoples.

"This position also carries great responsibility, but I am confident that we will succeed in building an even better image of Republika Srpska in one of Europe's largest countries. I will continue working to connect entrepreneurs from Republika Srpska with those in France, as well as to establish cultural and academic cooperation," said Kondić-Panić, who previously served as Bosnia and Herzegovina's ambassador to Paris. Kondić-Panić emphasized that there is strong interest from French businesspeople to cooperate with Republika Srpska, noting that just last month, a company from France signed agreements with firms from both Republika Srpska and the Federation of BiH in the textile sector. "Recently, I visited a company operating within the IT industry, and they expressed interest in cooperating with universities in BiH, including those in Republika Srpska. There is great potential and a number of ongoing projects that will be implemented in the coming period," Kondić-Panić added. WE HAVE MANY FRIENDS IN FRANCE She noted that Republika Srpska has many friends in France and that further strengthening of those relationships will be a priority. "There is also a large diaspora community, and cultural cooperation is one of our goals. We are planning to organize concerts featuring French artists who have shown interest in performing in Banjaluka, and we are also working on opportunities for our artists to perform in France. I am confident there will be success in the field of culture," Kondić-Panić emphasized. She also highlighted the importance of cooperation in the field of medicine, noting that France has made significant advances in that area. "Agreements are in the works that will enhance cooperation in that field as well. Of course, tourism is another important area of collaboration. Many more activities are planned in the near future," Kondić-Panić announced. Bojana Kondić-Panić has also served as BiH's Permanent Representative to UNESCO, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, the International Organisation of Vine and Wine, the Bureau International des Expositions, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development /OECD/. A farewell reception was recently held in Paris to mark the end of her ambassadorial term, attended by ambassadors, friends, colleagues, and representatives of cultural and public life.