Belgian Police conducted raids on Wednesday in an investigation into alleged Russian interference within the European Parliament, particularly focusing on accusations that Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were paid to promote Russian propaganda via the Voice of Europe website.

The raids, spanning a private residence in Brussels and European Parliament offices in Strasbourg and Brussels, were part of an effort to uncover individuals suspected of involvement in this purported scheme. Belgian law enforcement officials highlighted the potential significance of a parliamentary assistant with connections to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and currently employed by far-right Dutch MEP Marcel de Graaff. However, de Graaff swiftly distanced himself from the accusations, asserting his innocence and reaffirming his adherence to personal political beliefs.

These raids represent a crucial aspect of a broader investigation into a suspected Russian influence operation that allegedly compensated sitting MEPs to disseminate pro-Kremlin propaganda.

Furthermore, the investigation’s focus on the Voice of Europe website, recently sanctioned by the European Union for disseminating Kremlin propaganda, adds another layer to the complexity of the case. Czech authorities previously announced the dismantling of a Russian influence operation conducted through Voice of Europe, implicating financial transactions to elected officials in both the European Parliament and national parliaments across several European countries.

Among the individuals scrutinized in this investigation is MEP Maximilian Krah, whose association with the far-right AfD party, recently expelled from its European political family due to contentious comments about the Nazis, has been under scrutiny. Krah, however, refuted claims of financial benefit from his interviews with Voice of Europe, maintaining his innocence despite his assistant’s subsequent arrest on suspicion of spying for China.

As the EU elections approach, the integrity of electoral processes and a potential need to combat foreign influence, particularly in an era where digital platforms serve as potent tools for dissemination and manipulation, serve as underlying justifications for such investigations, says Terry Reintke, head of European Greens party.