Brussels (Brussels Morning) – Brussels and French police raided European Parliament offices and a staffer’s home in a probe into Russian influence, suspecting MEPs were paid to promote Kremlin propaganda.
Brussels and French police undertook a series of simultaneous raids at European Parliament offices in Brussels and Strasbourg as well as at the house of a parliamentary staffer in the Belgian neighbourhood of Schaerbeek.
How Extensive is the Russian Influence Operation in EU Politics?
The investigations are part of a sprawling probe into a Russian influence function suspected to have paid sitting Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to circulate pro-Kremlin propaganda from the heart of EU institutions in Brussels.
The Belgian Prosecutor, which ordered probes, said there were “indications” that the parliament employee in question played a “significant role” in the Russian propaganda process, confirming that the raid is connected to a case involving “interference, stagnant corruption and membership of a criminal organisation.”
It was not immediately clear what function the staffer holds at the parliament nor whether the individual functions directly for one of the parliament’s elected lawmakers.
The European Parliament’s press services stated: “We can’t comment on ongoing investigations.” “When and if requested, the European Parliament fully cooperates with law enforcement and judicial authorities to assist the course of justice and will continue to do so. It is this context that access to an office was provided,” the statement adds.
How Is Voice of Europe Linked to Kremlin Propaganda?
The search is the latest outcome in an ongoing investigation into Dutch-listed news company Voice of Europe, sanctioned by the European Union earlier this month for marketing the Kremlin’s propaganda. The news company declared to provide “uncensored news from Europe and the world” and as recently as this March held one-on-one discussions and debates with sitting MEPs broadcasted from the European Parliament in Brussels and in Strasbourg.
In late March, Czech authorities reported it had busted a Russian influence operation executed through Voice of Europe, alleging financial transactions had been pushed to elected officials in the European Parliament and in national parliaments.
What Actions Are Being Taken Against Suspected MEPs?
According to Czech media quoting officials from intelligence services, the allegations concern politicians from Germany, France, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Hungary.
One of the MEPs questioned by the so-called media was Anders Vistisen, who’s been representing the European Parliament’s far-right faction – Identity and Democracy (ID) – in discussions ahead of June’s European elections.
MEP Maximilian Krah – whose Alternative for Germany (AfD) party was recently removed from its European family after making damning Nazi remarks to an Italian newspaper – has also brushed off his connections with Voice of Europe, asserting that despite giving consultations to the company, he had not benefitted financially.
“There is no specific allegation that I was paid for any of these,” Krah expressed on X. “This shows what to think of the current campaign: Nothing!” Krah’s assistant has since been charged on suspicion of spying for China.
The latest evolution in the investigation comes just days before some 370 million EU voters head to the ballots to elect new members of the European Parliament, in a vote much worried to be the target of the Kremlin’s interference.
