MEPs once again at the center of suspicion. Leaders of the Liberal and Green groups in the European Parliament called this Friday, March 29, for the opening of an internal investigation after the identification by intelligence services of an influence network financed by Moscow. Enough to revive fears of interference in the institution, more than a year after the so-called “Qatargate” affair, around suspicions of corruption of elected officials involving Qatar and Morocco.
It all started this Wednesday, when Prague announced that Czech intelligence services had unmasked a network financed by Moscow. He spread pro-Russian propaganda on Ukraine via the Voice of Europe site, and extended his influence “all the way to the European Parliament”, without giving further details.
As part of this network, “Russia approached MEPs, but also paid to promote Russian propaganda, these are parliamentarians receiving money”, specified Thursday March 28 the Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo , before the Belgian House of Representatives.
“A direct attack on the very fabric of our democracy”
French Macronist MEP Valérie Hayer, president of Renew Europe (centrists and liberals), wrote to the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, to demand the opening of an “immediate and transparent” internal investigation, in cooperation with the authorities national”. Ten weeks before the European elections, “voters must know if MEPs or candidates are working with the support of Russia or its proxies, democracy in Europe must be defended at all costs against these threats”, underlined Valérie Hayer, also head of the list of the Renaissance presidential party for the European election on June 9.
The Greens also called for “a rapid and thorough investigation on a European scale”. “Putin is trying to get away with his war in Ukraine (…) it is a direct attack on the very fabric of our democracy, the politicians who received money must be severely punished, both politically and in justice”, insisted German elected official Terry Reintke, one of the two heads of the Green lists for the cross-Rhine vote.
Parliament examines Czech investigation
“The Parliament is currently examining, in coordination with its institutional partners, the conclusions of the Czech authorities, in particular concerning the media ‘Voice of Europe’,” a spokesperson for the institution told AFP.
Access to the media institution “appearing on the EU sanctions lists”, notably due to disinformation on the war in Ukraine, is already prohibited, and MEPs “are bound by clear rules on ‘independence and ethics’, under penalty of ‘penalties’, she added.