French President Macron says he was not aware of Telegram’s Durov’s arrival in France

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BELGRADE (Reuters) – French President Emmanuel Macron was not aware of Telegram owner Pavel Durov’s arrival in France on Saturday and had not been scheduled to meet him, he told a news conference on Thursday during a two-day visit in Serbia.

“I was absolutely unaware of Mr Durov’s arrival in France, and that is quite normal because I’m not aware of the comings and goings of citizens from all over the world, whether they have French citizenship or not,” Macron said.

Durov was arrested by French police after his jet landed at an airport near Paris. On Wednesday, a French judge put Durov, who has French and UAE citizenship, under formal investigation for suspected complicity in running an online platform that allows illicit transactions, child sex abuse images, drug trafficking and fraud.

Macron also defended France’s decision in 2021 to give Durov French citizenship under a rare procedure for high-profile individuals.

“It’s part of a strategy to allow women and men, whether artists, athletes or entrepreneurs, when they make the effort to learn the French language and that they develop wealth, innovation … to be given French nationality,” Macron said.