“It is not because a foreigner has a residence permit that this protects him from possible prosecutions or challenges as soon as there are disturbances to public order or there is a threat to the fundamental interests of the nation,” added the Minister of the Interior.
Laurent Nunez assured Monday 1is June that there had been no «intervention» of the government during the extension to 2024 of the residence permit of Russian Xenia Fedorova, columnist accused of being the voice of the Kremlin in the media of conservative billionaire Vincent Bolloré. “Contrary to what has been implied in a certain number of media, there was no intervention”explained the Minister of the Interior, questioned on France Inter about this extension for ten years, while the current Minister of Justice, Gérald Darmanin, was stationed in Beauvau.
“There are titles which are automatically renewed for foreigners who have been in a regular situation for several years and who meet conditions. He frees himself from it every day”he added. “The administration cannot refuse, unless it initiates litigation”according to him. However, “It is not because a foreigner has a residence permit that this protects him from possible prosecution or questioning when there is disturbance of public order or there is a threat to the fundamental interests of the nation”a-t-il observé.
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A regular speaker in Vincent Bolloré’s media
Former boss of the Russian channel RT in France, banned in the EU since March 2022 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Xenia Fedorova regularly defends the Kremlin’s positions in the media in the fold of Vincent Bolloré. She appears in particular on CNews and Europe 1 and writes a column in the weekly JDNews. Last week, government spokesperson Maud Bregeon pointed out the «propos three graves» by Xénia Fedorova, thurs “completely reverse the burden of proof on responsibilities between Russia and Ukraine”. Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot also described it as “propaganda” pro-Putin.
The chairman of the board of directors of the Canal+ group, Maxime Saada, defended his columnist, seeing in her presence on CNews an issue of “Freedom of expression”. “I don’t think we can talk about a Russian agent (…), journalist yes, agent no”he replied, questioned by a shareholder during the group’s general meeting on Friday. Xénia Fedorova was also supported by Arnaud Lagardère, manager of Lagardère Radio (which owns Europe 1), and Gérald-Brice Viret, general director of Canal+ France, in a column published by the Sunday newspaper (JDD), another media in the fold of Mr. Bolloré. “We do not necessarily approve of each of his positions. On the other hand, we oppose its systematic delegitimization”they wrote.
