Thierry Mariani does not hide it: the current anti-Russian atmosphere bothers him. Since 2014, the most Russophile of French politicians has made several trips to Russia, and also to Crimea. While France, the European Union, the United Nations contest the Russian presence on this Ukrainian territory, the elected RN applauds his “evolution” “since the return to Russia”. On March 18, 2019, with other French deputies, he even celebrated the five years of annexation to Putin’s right, delighted with this support. The Russian president has a good game to claim “many friends in Europe, and particularly in France, who agree with us”..
More recently, on a French news channel, Thierry Mariani went so far as to make the Ukrainians share the responsibility for the conflict with Russia. Why so much zeal? Would the French elected official be instrumentalized? “Complément d’Enquête” went to ask him the question at the headquarters of the Franco-Russian Dialogue, the association he has co-chaired for ten years. Thierry Mariani “fully assume”on behalf of his “freedom of opinion”.
Trips financed by Russia… under the banner of the European Parliament
The problem is that during his trips to Crimea (all expenses paid by Russia), the elected RN takes with him the banner of the European Parliament. Even outside of any official mission, Russian television presents him as an MEP. Like, in 2020, when he welcomed the progress “copy” of a referendum in Crimea. “This type of statement, points out LREM MP Nathalie Loiseau, it’s on repeat on Russian television channels, which say ‘You see, the European Parliament sends us its congratulations’, and it undermines the seriousness and the image of what we do.”
“Putin uses these deputies to justify the annexation of Crimea, the occupation of Donbass, the repression in Russia”, stresses for his part Raphaël Glucksmann (MEP Public Square), recalling that “Mr. Mariani has been sanctioned by the European Parliament, and no longer has the right to represent it during electoral observation missions”. A sanction that Thierry Mariani disputes. He filed an appeal to this effect before the European Court of Justice. On the travels of the deputy, The world has just revealed that French justice has opened an investigation for corruption and influence peddling.
Extract of “France: the Putin networks”, a document to see in “Complementary investigation” on October 27, 2022.
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