Petr Bystroň: German Authorities Raid AfD Politician Suspected of Possible Russian Financing

On Thursday May 16th, law enforcement authorities conducted searches at the premises of Petr Bystroň, a politician from the right-wing populist party “Alternative for Germany” (AfD), who is the party’s second candidate on the European elections list.

According to the German publication ‘Spiegel’, citing sources, the Munich prosecutor’s office has initiated an investigation into Bystroň.

In connection with this, searches are in premises associated with him in Berlin and Bavaria, as well as in Mallorca and in the office of the Bundestag.

Approximately 70 law enforcement officers were reportedly involved in the operation.

The politician is reportedly suspected of corruption and money laundering. The Bundestag previously agreed to the investigation and lifted Bystroň’s immunity, with only “Alternative for Germany” abstaining from the vote.

The suspicions against the deputy are related to the case surrounding the media resource Voice of Europe, which acted as a tool for Russian influence and propaganda in Europe.

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Maximilian Krah MEP speaking in the European Parliament.

Read Also: Maximilian Krah: AfD MEP Confirms FBI “Interrogation” Over Alleged Financial Ties to Kremlin Agents

In December of last year, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted an inquiry into Maximilian Krah, a far-right German lawmaker, while he was in New York, the Kyiv Independent has reported.

The investigation, revealed by Spiegel and ZDF on April 16th, raised suspicions regarding alleged financial ties between Krah and Kremlin agents.

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In March, Czech intelligence services stated that the site was used to spread anti-Ukrainian propaganda and disinformation at the direction of Viktor Medvedchuk, against whom the Czech Republic imposed sanctions.

The media company may have also covertly provided financial support to candidates “convenient” for Russia in the European Parliament elections, including Bystroň, who is the second candidate on his party’s list for the European elections and has frequently appeared on Voice of Europe.

In one of the interviews recorded in February in Prague, Bystroň complained that the German government coalition does not support farmers, but provides large volumes of military aid to Ukraine, and that the government “has money to kill people in other countries, but not enough for German farmers.”

According to journalists, Czech services have video and audio evidence of Bystroň receiving such funds.

The politician has denied the allegations from the outset.

*Spiegel* notes that Bystroň has been personally acquainted with Medvedchuk for many years and even visited him as a guest.

Further investigation will determine whether Bystroň has violated German legislation.

Under current rules, to prove a violation, it will be necessary to establish not only that the deputy took money, but also that it was in exchange for a specific service related to his mandate.

Earlier, the publication reported that the Kremlin wanted to help “Alternative for Germany” with a strategy to win the elections.

Main Image: By Steffen Prößdorf, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87432041