Cet article en françaisMichel Balique, president of the Amis des grands voiliers – Sail Training Association France, is one of the two main French lobbyists for the Russian vessel Shtandart, which became a violation of European regulations on 16 April 2022, the date of application of the 5th round of the European sanctions imposed following the Bucha massacres. This activism on behalf of Russian interests has ruined his digital image, i.e. his reputation, and that of the association he chairs.
- How did Michel Balique create the material that will trash the reputation of the Amis des grands voiliers – Sail Training Association France.
- Michel Balique, a disastrous Google search result for ‘All’
- Michel Balique, a devastated Google search result for ‘Images’
- Michel Balique is in the abyss and will stay there.
1. How did Michel Balique create the material that will trash the reputation of the Amis des grands voiliers – Sail Training Association France?
As early as 21 March 2022, in the midst of the siege and bombardment of Mariupol1 2 3, the martyred city (A. Press put the death toll at around 75,000), while abominable Russian massacres are taking place in Bucha4, Gostomel5, Irpin6 and Borodyanka7, and while a 64 km long convoy was heading towards Kyiv8, Michel Balique leads a campaign9 on behalf of the friends of tall ships association to get French maritime organisations and events to welcome the Russian ship Shtandart. After all, what could be better than a good maskirovka10, this ‘boat of peace’11, this reminder of the ‘brotherhood of peoples12’ and this ‘symbol of union between Russia and Europe13’ to whitewash Russia from its crimes?
Later, when the 5th round of sanctions14 following the Bucha massacres prohibites the presence of ANY ship registered under the russian flag in EU ports15, Michel Balique claims, on social media and in the press, radio and television, to be behind the installation of the russian ship Shtandart in La Rochelle on 8 June 2022.
Doped up by what he sees, perhaps, as recognition of his influence, the president of the Amis des grands voiliers – Sail Training Association France, unlike Patrice Bernier, his more cautious partner, is multiplying the “argument of authority” during his compulsive interventions on a topic he does not master. In doing so, he fails to understand the extent to which he is creating the material that will cause his downfall. By dilettantism or choice, Michel Balique makes himself the prophet of an obsolete version of sanctions and a fable celebrating an imposter16 17, of whom he is both godfather and puppet, the master of Shtandart, Vladimir Martus. The whistleblowing collective No Shtandart in Europe can only watch him work to bring about his own fall.
Whether out of malice or convenience, Balique uses language elements that are part of the Ukrainophobic discourse18 promoted by Moscow, going so far as to talk about ‘war crimes theories’.
Does he think that the aura with which he credits himself, his connections and his network allow him to force his way through? In any case, he lapses into argumentum ad personam, scorning appeals to reason and discernment while threatening their authors. Indeed, in the first few months, he refrains from being factual, honest and rigorous with a complete impunity.
The alternative reality promoted by the ‘useful idiot19’ carries more weight than the word of those who claim the rule of law and recommend vigilance. He never ceases to describe as ‘ridiculous, idiotic and stupid polemic’ the reminder of the European Regulation. For him and his network, in a cynical inversion of victimhood, highlighting Vladimir Martus‘s documented links with the Russian government and propaganda services is tantamount to ‘hate speech’, or even proof of ‘anti-Russian racism’. Verifiably revealing the parties involved in the affair is tantamount to ‘inciting violence’. Talking about circumventing port sanctions is tantamount to ‘defamatory’ remarks.
Quos vult perdere Jupiter dementat. The clarification from the European Council, the confirmation from the European Commission20, the three prefectoral decrees, the order from the administrative court in Rennes as well as the ruling from the French Council of State21, which he describes as ‘Ridiculous’ and ‘Absolute bullshit’, do not urge Michel Balique to change his tune. You can’t make a donkey drink if it’s not thirsty.
Nor does he renounce his allegiance to the representative of a criminal power that is bombing Ukraine, stealing its children and carrying out rapes, massacres, torture, war crimes and crimes against humanity22 in the name of an imperialism legitimised, according to Vladimir Putin23, by Peter the Great, the same imperialism of which the Shtandart is the standard-bearer24. His many public speeches give the whistleblowing collective No Shtandart in Europe the opportunity to provide detailed and sourced responses, which today mean that Michel Balique has become a discredited and marginalised huckster. Here he is, exposed for what he really is.
Having remained in the shadows until July 2024, the lawyer Thierry Clerc25, of Clerc and Partners, counsel to the Shtandart, now appears in centre stage. In Vladimir Martus’s judicial frenzy, his lawyer is gradually erasing Michel Balique, who is buried with his toxic narrative. Irretrievably buried. The lobbyist can multiply his rearguard battles. There is not even a response to his latest litany of imprecations. The case is closed. Vae victis!
Michel Balique’s publications and responses to them are presented on four platforms:
- Michel Balique on the blog No Shtandart in Europe
- Michel Balique on the Google site No Shtandart in Europe
- Michel Balique on Medium
- Michel Balique on Twitter
These four platforms have taken control of Michel Balique in the search engines results, as we shall see.
2. Michel Balique, a disastrous Google search result for ‘All’
To ensure that the results are neutral and independent of previous history, searches and publications, you should launch the Google search in incognito mode.
The first page of results is the most important one. Within this first page, the first three answers will be those generating the highest number of clicks, as the screenshot of the phone shows. Michel Balique has lost control on them.
If we look at the first page of results as a whole, Michel Balique only controls only four of the ten results: two in the middle and two at the end. The top two are website pages that open up to all the articles about him in the Shtandart case. In today circumstances, this is a very poor result for a public figure involved in a scandal related to Russian networks of influence in our country.
3. Michel Balique, a devastated Google search result for ‘Images’
Google’s “Images” tab is even more worrying than the “All” tab. The phone screen shows ten results, all driven by No Shtandart in Europe. Of the 31 responses concerning Michel Balique, 12 are from him or his network, but 18 are from the collective, and the vast majority of them are in the top.
Special mention should be made of the first image, which is the one most often used. It is, in a way, the Google profile photo for the person who is the subject of the search. It’s the one that will attract the most clicks.
4. Michel Balique is in the abyss and will stay there.
The result shown above is the outcome of a natural referencing, a guarantee of longevity. It was built with this in mind from June 2022, inspired by the methods used to bury Russian propaganda. It will be very difficult, if not impossible, to counter it. For example, none of the national or regional media in which Michel Balique has spoken appear here, with the exception of France 3 and Ouest-France. And it was the No Shtandart in Europe collective that largely contributed to the rise in the results of the Ouest-France article: ‘Le navire russe Shtandart, autorisé à s’amarrer dans les ports de France, embarrasse ses protecteurs’ (‘The Russian ship Shtandart, authorised to dock in French ports, embarrasses its protectors’). The president of the Amis des grands voiliers – Sail Training Association France didn’t like the Ouest-France paper. He demanded and obtained a right of reply which, as usual, is merely the expression of a demonstration of mood without providing any documented argument.
No Shandart in Europe commented on this “right of reply” under the headline: ‘Amis des Grands Voiliers, Michel Balique canonne Ouest-France et fait plouf’ (‘Friends of Tall Ships, Michel Balique canons Ouest-France and makes a splash’) The No Shandart in Europe article came fourth in the “Images” search. Michel Balique’s ‘right of reply’ is ignored by Google. This case alone sums up Michel Balique’s shipwreck, how it happened and why the president of the friends of tall ships, an association he disgraced, is unable to resurface.
Friends of Tall Ships, Michel Balique canons Ouest-France and makes a splash
Notes
- Wikipedia – Siege of Mariupol ↩︎
- Kyiv Independant – Bombing of children’s hospital in Mariupol, 09/03/2022 ↩︎
- Wikipedia – Mariupol theatre airstrike, 16/03/2022 ↩︎
- Wikipedia – Bucha massacre ↩︎
- Wikipedia – Battle of Hostomel ↩︎
- Wikipedia – Battle of Irpin ↩︎
- Wikipedia – Bombing of Borodianka ↩︎
- Wikipedia – Russian Kyiv convoy ↩︎
- Michel Balique – Welcoming Shtandart (Fr), 21/03/2022 ↩︎
- Wikipedia – Russian military deception ↩︎
- Shtandart, boat of peace – Thalassa TV (Fr) ↩︎
- TVP WORLD – The Myth of Brotherly Nations | How We Got Here ↩︎
- Ouest-France – The Shtandart, a symbol of union between Russia and Europe, is calling at Caen (Fr), 16/10/2022 ↩︎
- Council of Europe – EU adopts fifth round of sanctions against Russia over its military aggression against Ukraine ↩︎
- Council of Europe – European regulation concerning restrictive measures against Russian ships, full text ↩︎
- No Shtandart in Europe – Shtandart, 2009, Vladimir Martus’ refusal to comply with safety regulations falsely presented as political opposition to Putin’s regime. ↩︎
- No Shtandart in Europe – Vladimir Martus and the “Shtandart” on a mission of diplomatic representation under the auspices and with the financing of Putin, October 2021. ↩︎
- Russia vs World – Ukrainophobic activist Michel Balique and sanctioned Russian ship still in France ↩︎
- Wikipedia – Useful idiot ↩︎
- European commission — Letter to “No Shtandart in Europe”, 12/07/2024 ↩︎
- French Council of State ruling rejecting Shtandart’s appeal against the order of the Rennes administrative court, 18/11/2024 ↩︎
- Wikipedia – War crimes in the Russian invasion of Ukraine ↩︎
- The Guardian – Putin compares himself to Peter the Great in quest to take back Russian lands ↩︎
- Statement on the interview of Mikhail Piotrovsky director of the hermitage Museum ↩︎
- No Shtandart in Europe – Who is Thierry Clerc, the lawyer for Russian Vladimir Martus, being is in breach of European sanctions? ↩︎
More supporting documented evidences about Michel Balique’s case can be found in the notes to the original French article.
The "Shtandart" In Europe 
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