EU closing in on MEPs who took Russian money
EU closing in on MEPs who took Russian money
Belgian, Czech, and Polish spies are chasing down MEPs who took Russian money ahead of EU elections, as those linked to one pro-Russia website hire lawyers and cry "slander".
But the disclosures were just part of a wider, concerted probe into Russian interference in the European Parliament (EP) by European intelligence services, involving also Belgium's VSSE domestic spy agency.
Disciplinary action must be swiftly taken against any MEPs or [EP election] candidates involved," said the office of Liberal French MEP Valérie Hayer, who first called for the EP discussion.
"A full and transparent internal investigation by the president of the European Parliament is now needed," her office added.
The BIS and ABW have not named names so far, but BIS had a 300-page dossier on illicit payments worth "millions of [Czech] crowns" (tens of thousands of euros), it has said.
ABW seized €72,000 in cash in raids in the Warsaw region.
It's kind of insulting when perhaps-not-Moscow offers just a meagre couple of 10000 € as bribe to our MEPs. And embarassing when they accept such a sum.
Imagine betraying your country for less money than a Toyota Yaris
Well, to be fair – we don't know what the MEPs were paid for, we don't even know that they were paid for anything or whether these payments were really illegal.
Probably these were donations rather than bribes.
If you donate to people who are on your side to help them gain influence, you're using your money more effectively than by paying bribes.
To the gallows!!
It's sad that it's taking so long when like 10 years ago we had politicians warning us about Russian oligarchs meddling with elections, or as in the UK, killing people with radioactive poison. We could've done something then but chose to wait and now the damage has grown larger. It's like waiting to get cancer, only to yell about it and do nothing, and only start caring when it's on the brink of terminal/irreversible before actually doing something, instead of actively doing things that reduce cancer probabilities.
The same MEPs who get money each day just for being there, that can get money "back" for already paid for transport costs or get money "back" for transport costs to vacations have even more incentives now? Don't you think that's a bit much? They're gonna get sick from guzzling so much money...
MEPs involved should be suspended but no need to do it a couple of months before the elections, because their parties can be affected.
They should get much worse than suspension.
Actually yes, the more damage the better. Next time the party will keep them in check.
Party allowed it. People running party 100% knew