Fabien Fieschi visited the Zemunik military airbase to thank the crews that helped fight wildfires in France, then met with the mayor and deputy county prefect.
The French Ambassador to the Republic of Croatia, H.E. Fabien Fieschi, was in Zadar on Monday, August 17, 2026, as part of a farewell visit ahead of the end of his term. On that occasion, he visited the Zemunik military airbase, where he directly thanked the brave pilots and crews of the Canadair aircraft whose efforts recently helped extinguish massive wildfires in France.
Following the base visit, the ambassador was received by Mayor Šime Erlić and Deputy County Prefect Robertino Dujela, along with associates, in the Small Council Chamber of the City of Zadar. The talks were held in a cordial atmosphere, with discussions focused on exchanging experiences in areas of mutual interest.
The talks particularly highlighted sustainable tourism, climate change, and the new challenges that come with it, as well as opportunities for further cooperation and mutual assistance between the two countries. The ambassador expressed satisfaction with the cooperation with the Department of French Language at the University of Zadar and suggested that it would be beneficial to encourage the learning of French as a second foreign language at as early an age as possible.
He proposed that, in cooperation with educational institutions in Zadar, continuity in French language learning be ensured through primary and secondary school. He also mentioned the excellent cooperation between French archaeologists and their colleagues in Zadar, as well as generally good intercultural cooperation.
Mayor Erlić and Deputy Prefect Dujela briefed the ambassador on the economic characteristics and development plans of the City of Zadar and Zadar County. At the end of the meeting, the ambassador thanked them for the warm reception and cooperation during his term in the Republic of Croatia and expressed his hope that the good cooperation and friendship would continue with his successor.
