For a small and relatively quiet country, there are times when Czech Republic can definitely punch above its weight….

An investigation by Czech intelligence service BIS uncovered payouts by a website based in Prague to politicians in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Hungary and Poland. The website, Voice of Europe, was accused of spending hundreds of thousands of euros in 2023 to get politicians and opinion makers in those countries to spread Russian propaganda points. Dutch far-right political leader Thierry Baudet, who threatened violence in Parliament when questioned over funding sources for his Forum voor Democratie (FvD) party, declined to show up in person for a meeting on Thursday to discuss his outbursts.

The Czech investigation announced on Wednesday did not specifically identify any politicians suspected of accepting money from Voice of Europe. The website promotes pro-Russian news and viewpoints in more than a dozen languages, including English and Dutch. Baudet has been frequently featured by the media outlet, and was often quoted in their articles, especially last year.

The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs simultaneously added Voice of Europe, Viktor Medvedchuk and Artem Pavlovich Marchevskyi to its national sanctions list because of the investigation. “This decision is in the interest of the security of the Czech Republic, and also contributes to the protection of democracy in the upcoming European Parliament elections,” the ministry said.

nltimes.nl