“It has emerged that Russia approached and paid MEPs to promote its propaganda.” The revelation was made by Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, who added that between the Belgian and Czech secret services “there was a close collaboration” to destroy a Russian propaganda network, as the Belgian press also writes.
The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, “is aware of the accusations made” on the website Vocea Europei, a vehicle of the Russian disinformation activity, and the European Chamber is “examining” the veracity of the accusations, confirms the press services of the EP.
According to what has been learned so far, things would be simple: through the Voice of Europe – a platform financed and operated by the pro-Russian Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk, one of the people who are part of Vladimir Putin’s magic circle – Moscow would have tried to use MEPs, whom he paid to give a series of interviews. Among them – according to rumors in the Czech and Dutch media – would be exponents of Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National party, of the Flemish ultra-right formation Vlaams Belang, but also of Alternative fuer Deutschland, formations of the sovereignist galaxy that the polls I give them the winner in the next elections.
Revelations that blow up Europe
The revelations made by the “Voice of Europe” scandal “undermine unity in the EU.” This is not just a breach of trust; it is a direct attack on the very structure of our democracy,” said the leader of the Green group in the Eurochamber, German Terry Reintke, reacting to the news of the investigation into Russian interference in the Eurochamber.
“Citizens must be able to trust politicians. Therefore, a quick and thorough investigation at European level is needed. The European elections are 10 weeks away. We have to make sure that none of the candidates are paid by the Russians,” added Green MEP Bas Eickhout.
“As European democrats we are concerned by the news revealed today by the Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo, regarding a vast Russian disinformation network discovered by the Belgian and Czech secret services, which led to the closure of a website, Voice of Europe: with the aim to spread disinformation, the network would even have paid members of the European Parliament. We ask the competent authorities and the Presidency of the European Parliament to take measures as soon as possible to shed full light on this extremely serious and worrying affair: the credibility of the European institutions, the peace and integrity of the June 2024 elections”, writes MEP Sandro Gozi, secretary, on social networks general of the European Democratic Party and member of “Team Europe” which will lead the Renew election campaign in the 2024 European elections.
