America News Agency

The Czech government has decided to impose sanctions against Voice of Europe, which is accused of running an influence campaign financed by Moscow to influence public opinion in favor of Russia in the upcoming EU elections.

According to Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, this situation was revealed by the counter-espionage activities of Belgian and Czech intelligence.

According to reports in the Czech media based on security sources, payments were made to MEPs from six countries: Germany, France, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Hungary for the same purpose. The money was allegedly transferred through Voice of Europe.

“It turns out that Russia is contacting and paying MPs here to spread Russian propaganda,” De Croo said anonymously during a debate in the Belgian parliament on Thursday, according to Politico.

In some of the countries in question, there are news in the media about which MPs were elected. Der Spiegel, for example, mentions a German parliamentarian from the far-right AFD.

Various political groups in the European Parliament have called for an investigation. Socialist MEP Heléne Fritzon said that the S&D group conveyed to the President the request that the accused politicians be suspended from office until an investigation is opened.

"This is a completely unacceptable situation and we need to take action quickly and find out who or which parties and politicians are involved," Fritzon said.

EU Commission Vice President Vera Jourová told Politico that this confirmed "what we suspected" that "the Kremlin is using dubious fake media to buy covert influence."

This information comes a year after the Qatargate bribery scandal, in which Qatar was accused of trying to buy influence from some people closely linked to the EU Parliament.