Swiss Ambassador in Paris since 2020 and, from January, in Rome, Roberto Balzaretti tells how Franco-Swiss relations have warmed up; he also looks back on his tour of France by bike, the Olympics in the embassy and cross-border issues
Published on December 27, 2024 at 8:06 p.m. / Modified on December 27, 2024 at 8:07 p.m.
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This December 17 is his last day of work in the embassy in Paris. The same evening, Roberto Balzaretti returned to Switzerland for the Christmas holidays, before returning to Rome and taking up his new post in Italy. In the 5th arrondissement, a stone’s throw from the Invalides, the Hôtel de Besenval has all the trappings of Paris from ministries to elegant facades and baroque interiors. Once past the high and massive door, at the other end of the courtyard of this little Matignon, stands the tall silhouette of the ambassador, master of the place for a few more hours.
The 59-year-old man, a lawyer and doctor of law, spent almost his entire career in Swiss diplomacy, occupying different positions in Washington, Bern and Brussels before being appointed to Paris. Close to Micheline Calmy-Rey, he rose through the ranks at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA); and faced harsh criticism when dealing with European affairs. Today, a new shift, but this time the change is first and foremost geographical.
This interview was conducted on December 17 at the French Embassy in Paris. The interview took place at mealtime, at which the journalist and the photographer from Temps were invited. The text was then reread by the ambassador and his services, as well as the FDFA in Bern. The corrections requested, of a reasonable scale, have not altered the meaning and spirit of the remarks.
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