Renew MEP Nathalie Loiseau singled out on Saturday
"the European extreme right"
, in particular
"German and French"
, some representatives of which in the European Parliament are suspected of having received money from Russia as part of 'a network of influence.
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The scandal arose on Wednesday after the announcement by the Czech intelligence services of the dismantling of a network financed by Moscow, which spread pro-Russian propaganda on Ukraine via the Voice of Europe website, and extended its influence
“all the way to Parliament European”
, without further details. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo spoke on Thursday of the case
of "parliamentarians receiving money"
, without their identity being known.
We learn not only
"that a certain number of European parliamentarians went"
to Voice of Europe
"to echo Russian propaganda"
but also
"that some would have been paid to do so"
, was indignant on Saturday on franceinfo Nathalie Loiseau.
“I would like to point out that these parliamentarians who went there, who were interviewed by Voice of Europe, all belong to the European, German and French extreme right
,” she assured.
Corruption rather than conviction
“It is a very serious matter”
, insisted the MEP, conceding
“a shock but not a surprise”
because
“we know that Russia (...) is trying to influence the MEPs”
.
“The shock is to learn that certain deputies would have given in to Russia and above all would have given in not out of conviction, but because they were corrupt
,” she explained.
The Renew Europe group (centrists and liberals), to which Nathalie Loiseau belongs, and that of the Greens, have asked the European Parliament to open an internal investigation, ten weeks before the next European elections.
“Since the start of the year and the preparation for the European elections, there has been a lot of disinformation and a lot of trolls
,” said the former French Minister of European Affairs.
The aim, according to her, is to
“sow confusion and doubt about Russia's role in Ukraine and try to push a narrative according to which, ultimately, it would not be worth supporting Ukraine, that the sanctions - vis-à-vis Russia would be useless, even dangerous for Europe
.