European Parliament searched in connection with alleged Russian interference in parliamentary elections
MEPs were approached and paid to promote Russian propaganda, prosecutors say
The European Parliament buildings in Brussels and Strasbourg have been searched as part of a case of alleged Russian interference.
‘The searches were carried out as part of a case of influence, passive corruption and membership in a criminal organisation,’ the Belgian prosecutor's office said on Wednesday, 29 May, DW reports.
According to the prosecutor's office, the searches are related to ‘signs of Russian interference, as a result of which members of the European Parliament were approached and paid to promote Russian propaganda through the Voice of Europe news site.’
Specifically, it concerns MEPs from the Netherlands and the German right-wing populist party Alternative for Germany (AfD).
According to reports, investigators came to the offices and private residence of Guillaume P., an assistant to Dutch MP Marcel de Graaf, who previously worked in the team of AfD MP Maximilian Kra.
According to a number of publications, far-right politicians, including representatives of the Flemish Vlaams Belang, were interviewed by Voice of Europe, a Prague-based website that was banned in the EU in mid-May.
The Voice of Europe portal has long been suspected of spreading pro-Russian propaganda and disinformation about Ukraine in the EU, as well as bribing European politicians. Among other things, it published interviews with Maximilian Kra and his AfD ally Petr Bystron.
In early April, the Czech newspaper Denik M wrote that Bystron had allegedly received a bribe for the interview, although he has repeatedly denied this. Kra also denies that he took money from anyone associated with Voice of Europe.
Background. As reported, the European Commissioner confirmed the decision to ban four Russian media outlets in the EU amid the European Parliament elections, including Voice of Europe. Russian funding of NGOs, political parties and media will also be banned.
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