Bosnian writer Abdulah Sidran is among some thirty world intellectuals who met President of France Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday at the Elysée Palace to discuss and share ideas on the situation in Europe of today.

The meeting was imitated by one of the most influential intellectuals, French philosopher, writer and journalist Bernard-Henry Levy.

“I was impressed by the fact that I was among some thirty of the world's renowned names in literature, including a few Nobel prize winners. That's huge, as if I was the first-grade student, although I have some kind of ranking in literature. I was very honoured and moved in our meetings,” Sidran told N1.

The lunch with the President of France focused on the intellectuals’ own views of the reasons why Europe's intelligence, people, nations, governments are turning right, according to Sidran,

“We talked about the ways and possibilities to have what is called left-wing Europe organised. Which path to take and how to confront it,” he explained, adding that the upcoming European Parliament elections play an important role in that.

During the meeting, Sidran pointed out that the roots of “Europe's drastic turning right” were thrown away in 1992 when Europe stepped away from its elementary rules and principles.

The inequality that was then demonstrated in dual standards towards Bosnia, he said, is coming due now.

“I literally begged for more serious work on the idea of President Macron on forming a B group for joining Europe, where all of us who would never reach European standards even if we waited thousands of years will join in one package. The suggestion was approved there at the table unless I am biased,” said Sidran.

Writers, essayists, historians and poets, all had signed at the beginning of the year a platform at Levy's call, published January 25 in the French daily Liberation.

The manifest titled ‘There is fire at home Europe’ warned against the “populist forces that break on the continent” and called for “mobilization” to defend “the legacy of Erasmus, Dante, of Goethe and Comenius.”

The gathering is taking place only a few days before the European Parliament election.