Belgium has opened an investigation into a possible uncovered Russian network that wanted to influence the European elections. Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Belgian intelligence had confirmed the existence of a network that, among other things, tried to undermine support for Ukraine in its defensive battle.
According to De Croo, the secret service believes that Russia is trying to encourage the election of pro-Russian candidates to the European Parliament. This should allow a Russia-friendly attitude to spread further in parliament. “Belgian intelligence services have confirmed the existence of pro-Russian interference networks active in several European countries and also here in Belgium,” De Croo said. Belgium currently holds the EU Council Presidency.
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De Croo did not say which candidates for the European elections, according to intelligence findings, would be the target of Russian attempts to exert influence. He simply confirmed that the judiciary had already started an investigation into this. There is currently no evidence of any money being handed over in Belgium.
“We cannot allow this kind of Russian threat in our midst,” De Croo said. Action must be taken against this at both national and EU level. Specifically, he suggested examining whether the European Anti-Fraud Office (Olaf) could pursue these types of threats. If that is not the case, the authority’s mandate must be expanded, he demanded.
De Croo also stated that he was in close contact with Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, about the case. “We must remain very vigilant in future elections and certainly in the context of the European elections,” quotes the news portal Bloomberg the Belgian head of government. Russia wants to weaken European democracy.
AfD MPs are said to be part of a pro-Russian network
The case appears to be similar to information from the Czech Republic about Russian attempts to influence. According to its own statements, the Czech Republic’s secret service recently uncovered a network at the center of which was the pro-Russian online platform Voice of Europe (VoE). The website is part of a Russian influence operation whose aim is to undermine support for Ukraine and to frame politicians across Europe.
© Lea Dohle
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Interviews with AfD MEP Maximilian Krah and AfD Bundestag member Petr Bystron appeared on the portal, among others. Bystron is also accused in the Czech Republic of having accepted money from Russian actors as part of its contacts with VoE.
The politician denies this and demands the publication of audio recordings that, according to the Czech secret service, should confirm this. The Munich public prosecutor’s office initiated preliminary investigations at the beginning of April, but emphasized that no initial suspicion against Bystron could be concluded from this. On Thursday, politicians from all other parliamentary groups accused the AfD of supporting hybrid Russian warfare in Europe.
Belgium has opened an investigation into a possible uncovered Russian network that wanted to influence the European elections. Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Belgian intelligence had confirmed the existence of a network that, among other things, tried to undermine support for Ukraine in its defensive battle.
According to De Croo, the secret service believes that Russia is trying to encourage the election of pro-Russian candidates to the European Parliament. This should allow a Russia-friendly attitude to spread further in parliament. “Belgian intelligence services have confirmed the existence of pro-Russian interference networks active in several European countries and also here in Belgium,” De Croo said. Belgium currently holds the EU Council Presidency.