Polish activists discussed with Macron. He made a promise on the controversial pipeline

The French President gave a speech in the European Parliament on the occasion of Europe Day and the end of the conference on the future of the European Union. He spoke both about the reform of EU institutions and support for Ukraine, including sanctions against Russia.

After the parliamentary session, Polish climate activists Wiktoria Jędroszkowiak and Dominika Lasota approached Marcon to ask him, inter alia, to keep paying Russia for fuel, as well as the role of French companies in fueling the climate crisis. There were also questions about the crude oil construction in which the French concern TotalEnergies is involved.

– You have talked a lot about democracy and a well-functioning economy, but will you stop Total activities? Will you be the president to end the fossil fuel era? Lasota asked. Macron assured that he had completely stopped public funding for this type of project. Activists noted, however, that Total is the largest French company, but Macron said that as far as he knows, the project has funding from the French government.

Macron made a promise

– But you are the president of one of the largest economies in the world. We live in a climate crisis and we must stop it! – appealed to President Lasota. – It’s not about where the funding comes from. The point is, you have the power to stop it. Just as you can stop buying fossil fuels from Russia, you can also stop the destruction that Total is causing in the heart of Africa, added Wiktoria Jędroszkowiak.

– I understand what you mean. But Total is not a state-owned company. I stopped the public funding of such projects, Macron repeated.

After that, he promised that if there was any form of French public funding for the African pipeline, he would keep it. – I am committed to this – he stressed. He also added that he would discuss this with the African countries through which the pipeline was to pass, because he had to “respect their sovereign decisions.”