Benjamin Haddad: “We must strengthen the means of fighting against the Wagner group”

2023-05-09 02:46:41

The trans-partisan draft resolution calling on France and the European Union to include the Russian private paramilitary group Wagner on the list of terrorist organizations should be voted on without a hitch in the National Assembly, this Tuesday, May 9. Such a classification, explains the deputy of Paris Benjamin Haddad (Renaissance), the president of the France-Ukraine friendship group which carries the text, would make it possible to target the financial supports of the galaxy of Evguéni Prigojine, head of the company.

What is the use of registering the Wagner group officially as a “terrorist”?

BENJAMIN HADDAD. There are two objectives. The first, political, is to reaffirm the nature of this group, which promotes instability. The second is to acquire stronger control tools. The classification will allow, with our American allies, to accentuate the means to block the financial flows which irrigate the company, to put pressure on the establishments, companies, banks which work with them: to be inspired by the legislation on the association criminals at European level.

Is Wagner a threat to France?

Yes. We know that Wagner is part of a global policy of struggle against democratic values ​​and against the interests of Western countries: it is not a simple group of mercenaries attracted by the lure of gain. The group has made France its number one enemy in French-speaking Africa. Attempts to interfere were spotted during the 2017 presidential campaign and France is regularly targeted by cyber attacks, most often linked to Russia.

What responses should be given to these attempts at destabilization?

There are several of them. Support for Ukraine, through the delivery of arms, is one of them. The military programming law plans to increase resources in the cyber and intelligence domain. Finally, at the political level, we are campaigning to strengthen the tools at European level. Lithuania passed a resolution to this effect, the US Senate also held a debate on the subject. I think that if France votes for this resolution, other parliaments in Europe will follow.