“Russiagate”: an investigation has been opened in Belgium on suspicion of Russian interference in the work of the European Parliament

Two months before the elections, Russiagate continues to shake the European Union. Belgian federal prosecutors have launched an investigation into suspected corruption among members of the European Parliament after identifying a Moscow-funded influence network linked to the Voice of Europe media outlet, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said on Friday.

“Our judicial authorities have confirmed that this interference is subject to prosecution: the monetary payments did not take place in Belgium, the interference did take place,” Belgium “being the seat of the European institutions,” the head of government said during a press conference. .

A prosecution spokesman confirmed to AFP that an investigation had been opened on Thursday, without providing further details.

“Voice of Europe”

At the end of March, the Czech intelligence services (BIS) revealed that they had exposed a Moscow-funded influence network whose purpose was to spread Russian propaganda, especially on the Ukrainian issue. BIS claims that the network’s influence extended “as far as the European Parliament”.

According to Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, “this group was engaged in carrying out operations and activities on EU territory aimed at harming the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.”

This network of influence would operate through the Voice of Europe, a website registered in the Czech Republic and run by people close to Vladimir Putin. The site, which is now unavailable, included interviews with far-right MEPs. There we find videos of Patricia Chagnon, elected by the National Rally (RN), or of the deputy of the Flemish far-right party Vlaams Belang. The latter claims that he did not receive Russian money.

This is not the first time the European Union has found itself at the center of such turmoil. In December 2022, the “Qatargate” case occurred in the European Parliament, during which several MPs were suspected of receiving money to protect the interests of Qatar.