UPDATED: MEPs call for ‘urgent’ debate into Russian influence scandal
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Allegations that Moscow paid members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to interfere in the upcoming European election must be investigated, according to Liberals and Greens in Parliament.
The Czech government on Wednesday sanctioned the news site Voice of Europe, saying it was part of a pro-Russian influence operation. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo came out Thursday saying Russia had approached MEPs and “paid [them], to promote Russian propaganda.”
In response, the president of the liberal Renew group, Valérie Hayer — who is also French President Emmanuel Macron’s top candidate for the European Union election — called for an “urgent debate” in Parliament in a letter to its President Roberta Metsola.
This debate should take place at the next plenary session, on April 10 in Brussels. “If sitting MEPs or candidates in the upcoming European elections have taken money from or been corrupted by the Russian Government or their proxies, they must be exposed,” Hayer wrote in the letter.
Dutch Green EU lawmaker Bas Eickhout also called for an investigation into candidates standing for the European election.
“The European elections are in 10 weeks’ time. We need to be sure that none of the candidates for these elections are being paid by Russians,” he said in a statement.
The Parliament’s two largest political groups, the European People’s Party and the Socialists and Democrats, have barely commented on the allegations. A spokesperson for Metsola, who hails from the EPP, said: “The president is aware of the allegations being made and is looking into specific allegations.”
Belgian and Czech intelligence services smash a Russian MEP propaganda network
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said EU lawmakers have been paid to disseminate Russian propaganda, .
De Croo said there “has been a close collaboration” this week between Belgian and Czech intelligence services toward smashing a Russian propaganda network.
“It came for example to light that Russia has approached MEPs, but also paid [them], to promote Russian propaganda here,” De Croo said, during a debate in the Belgian national parliament about foreign interference, without naming the lawmakers.
De Croo’s spokesperson told POLITICO the prime minister was referring in his remarks to the Czech government’s decision to sanction the news site Voice of Europe, which Prague said was part of a pro-Russian influence operation.
The Czech foreign ministry announced Wednesday it had sanctioned Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The press release said Medvedchuk ran a “Russian influence operation” from Russia on Czech territory using Voice of Europe.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said Wednesday authorities had “hit a pro-Russian network” that attempted to set up an influence operation with security consequences for the Czech Republic and the EU.
“This decision is in the security interest of the Czech Republic, as well as contributing to the protection of the democratic nature of the forthcoming elections to the European Parliament,” the Czech foreign ministry added.
Voice of Europe’s site is currently unavailable and its account on X (formerly Twitter) hasn’t posted since Wednesday.
European Parliament deputy spokesperson Delphine Colard said the Parliament is currently “looking into the findings” of the Czech authorities about Voice of Europe.
Photo: Alexander DE CROO (Prime Minister, Belgium)
