Press
Russia is said to have used the “Voice of Europe” portal to influence European politicians. AfD politicians were also discussed.
Prague/Berlin – The Czech government has put the news platform “Voice of Europe” on its sanctions list. The accusation: The portal is said to be an “influence network financed by Russia,” said Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala at a press conference last Wednesday (March 27). But the influence should extend beyond the borders of the Czech Republic. “Voice of Europe” becomes covert financing of Kremlin-compliant people European elections-Candidates used – German politicians are also said to have been paid.
At first glance, the content of the site was similar to that of a normal news site, the reported Mirror. News about politics, business or culture was partly taken from reputable media. But between the inconspicuous reports, right-wing extremist content is also said to have dominated the portal's offerings. The website is now no longer accessible.
AfD politicians are said to have appeared regularly on “Voice of Europe”.
The content of the site is said to have often corresponded to the narratives of right-wing populist parties. The farmers' protests against the governments in Germany and Poland or migration were prominently featured in “Voice of Europe,” he writes Mirror.
But not only their topics found their way into the portal, politicians from some right-wing extremist parties also appeared there. A member of the French party Rassemblement National, a politician from the Belgian Vlaams Belang and, on several occasions, representatives of the AfD appeared in the medium. Among them is the AfD's leading candidate for the European elections, Maximilian Krah.
In a 45-minute interview, he is said to have talked about the alleged US involvement in the blowing up of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines. The US government was “definitely involved in this attack,” it quotes Mirror the AfD politician. This is a conspiracy story, which is also spread by Russian ruler Vladimir Putin. “Theoretically, the US could have an interest in preventing Russian energy from entering the European market,” said Putin in an interview in March 2023.
Politicians are said to have been paid by “Voice of Europe” for their appearances
According to information from the Czech daily newspaper Denik, several politicians from six European countries are said to have been paid by “Voice of Europe”. According to intelligence circles, these are “politicians from Germany, France, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Hungary.” The AfD is explicitly mentioned in the report, but without mentioning specific names.
At the request of mirror Krah is said to have reported that he had not received any money from “Voice of Europe”. He also only gave two interviews to the medium. In addition to Krah, AfD member of the Bundestag Petr Bystron is also said to have given an interview.
Six European secret services are said to have been involved in unmasking the website. The investigation is said to have revealed that a pro-Russian Ukrainian-born oligarch named Viktor Medvedchuk was behind the network. This is part of Putin's inner circle. The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyis said to have already revoked his Ukrainian citizenship.
Interior Ministry concerned – Germany “important target of Russian influence efforts”
The traffic light coalition reacts with concern to the revelations about the “Voice of Europe” platform. There are fears of further attempts from the Kremlin to divide German society and shake trust in the institutions, reported dpa. “The Federal Republic of Germany also remains an important target of Russian influence efforts,” said a spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry.
“In recent years, Russia has built up a complex network of influence actors and instruments that it can draw on,” said the spokeswoman. The spokeswoman did not comment on the website's alleged payments to German politicians. It was only confirmed that “a Russian influence operation against the European Parliament” had been uncovered. (nhi)
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