Germany: A far-right MP was caught on camera taking thousands of euros from Russians

A German politician was filmed receiving a large sum of money from a pro-Kremlin broadcaster, according to Czech intelligence.

Petr Bistron, who is running with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in June’s European parliamentary elections, allegedly received €20,000 in cash from the head of a Russian propaganda network while sitting in a parked car, the camera.

Bistron, who sits on the Bundestag’s Foreign Affairs Committee, has called the allegations that he received Russian money a “smear campaign”.

According to new data from the Czech Republic’s Security Intelligence Service (BIS), the far-right lawmaker met with Artem Marchevsky, who allegedly runs a Kremlin-backed propaganda network called Voice of Europe, at least three times in the past six months.

The Czechs said they filmed him twice receiving packages containing “unrecognizable objects” while in a car with Marchevsky.

A Czech MP who heard the recordings said Bistron was later heard “counting the money” while sitting in a parked car in Prague.

The money was allegedly intended to fund new staff at the European Parliament, according to the Telegraph.

The Czech government last month took down the Voice of Europe website and imposed a travel ban and asset freeze on its owner, exiled Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Medvechuk.

A BIS investigation concluded that the instrument was being used as a front to pay pro-Russian politicians to promote Kremlin propaganda across Europe.

It also sanctioned Marchevsky, a close associate of Medvechuk, who was described as managing the day-to-day affairs of the network.

Medvechuk is the godfather of one of Vladimir Putin’s daughters. He was captured in Ukraine immediately after the Russian invasion and later exchanged for Ukrainian prisoners of war. Today, it is believed to be in Russia.

The BIS estimates that the firm distributed at least half a million euros to pro-Russian politicians across Europe. Their investigation has sparked police investigations in the Czech Republic, Poland and other European countries.

The Munich public prosecutor’s office has opened preliminary investigations against Bistron for possible bribery of elected officials.

Petr Fiala, the Czech prime minister, warned that the aim was to help pro-Russian politicians into the European Parliament.

Bistron told German news agency DPA: “This is just an attempt to keep the anti-AfD campaign in the media until the European elections.”

The FBI questioned Maximilian Krach, the leader of the AfD faction in the European Parliament, in March over suspicions that he received money from Kremlin agents, according to Der Spiegel.

Krach confirmed he had been questioned, but denied being funded by Russia.

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