During a trip to Belgrade on Thursday, August 29, the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, was questioned about granting French nationality to the CEO of Telegram, Pavel Durov, in 2021. A choice that“fully assumes” the head of state, he explained on Thursday evening, while the boss of the messaging service was indicted in France on Wednesday for twelve offences, in particular for acts of “complicity” of laundering or distribution of child pornography images.
Mr Durov – and his Telegram application – is particularly criticised for his lack of cooperation with the judicial authorities, particularly in cases of organised crime and child pornography.
For the French president, this decision of naturalization – which was made within the framework of the procedure known as “the distinguished foreigner” – “was taken in a fully assumed strategy, to allow women and men, (…) when they make the effort to learn the French language and develop wealth, innovation, and shine in the world, when they ask, to give them French nationality”he explained.
According to information from the MondeMr. Macron and Mr. Durov had met several times before the CEO of Telegram obtained a French passport. This request for French nationality was made by Mr. Durov following a lunch with the President of the Republic that took place in 2018, Mr. Macron’s entourage confirmed to the Monde.
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Mr Macron says he was unaware of Telegram CEO’s visit
Telegram explained in 2023 that Mr Durov had made the request as “ great admirer of French culture and history, and has been greatly encouraged by the political changes that have taken place since the election of President [Emmanuel] Macron, in 2017.” The Head of State recalled that he had also done so for “actors, athletes”and for Snapchat founder and CEO Evan Spiegel in September 2018. “I think it’s good for our country, I will continue to do it”he said.
Furthermore, during this same press conference, Mr. Macron denied having carried out “whatever invitation”by Mr. Durov, claiming that he was unaware of the Franco-Russian billionaire’s visit to France.
His arrest Saturday evening at Le Bourget airport (Seine-Saint-Denis) came a month and a half after the opening of a judicial investigation into twelve charges, most of which related to organized crime. Before landing at Le Bourget, Mr. Durov was unaware that he was the subject of an arrest warrant, a judicial source confirmed to Reuters.
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