Wilders wants ‘some clarity’ about the matter surrounding Russian interference

NOS News•today, 11:24

PVV leader Wilders would have liked to see the cabinet mention names in the case surrounding the Russian disinformation campaign. Now it remains “a bit shady”, he said at the start of the formation talks.

“There has to be some clarity about it,” Wilders said. But he also says he understands that it is sensitive. “It’s about intelligence services, so the question is whether that is possible.”

News site Voice of Europe played a key role in the disinformation campaign. According to the Czech Republic, with the help of pro-Russian politicians in a number of European countries, an attempt was made in the run-up to the European elections to question “the territorial integrity, sovereignty and freedom” of Ukraine.

The Czech newspaper Denik N wrote last week, based on conversations with intelligence sources, that politicians have also been paid. Contributions would be intended, among other things, for their campaigns. Politicians from Germany, France, Poland, Belgium, Hungary and the Netherlands, among others, are said to have been approached and some of them financed.

The authorities in the Czech Republic have not confirmed this or mentioned any names. De Jonge wrote yesterday that he will not respond to media reports about the case and that the Czech secret service will no longer make it public.

PVV leader Wilders wants De Jonge to ask the Czechs again to make more official announcements. “Eventually it should become clear whether something is going on or not.”

BBB leader Van der Plas said prior to the formation talks that she wondered whether it would be useful to mention names. “You should not get in the way of the work of the security services.” Omtzigt from NSC does not think it is good that the Czechs reveal that influence has been bought, but that they do not say who it concerns. “That is bad for the European elections.”

In the past, fellow formation member Wilders has positively commented on the offending Voice of Europe website. Van der Plas does not want to comment on that: “I am not going to talk about other people, what they think and what they do.” Omtzigt points out that the website was in different hands at the time of Wilders’ praise.

And that is what the PVV leader himself said. “I indeed praised that website in the beginning, but at that time it was still in Dutch hands. I really didn’t do anything that could not stand the light of day.”

The Voice of Europe website regularly features politicians from Forum for Democracy, including party leader Baudet and MEP Marcel de Graaff. Party members regularly expressed understanding for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

There is so far no evidence that Forum is influenced or paid by Moscow, but other parties in the Chamber point out that the accounting of Forum, and foundations linked to the party, is not very transparent.

Baudet wrote on X yesterday that it is nonsense that he or his party has been bribed. “Just out of interest: is there anyone here who actually believes that I – or FvD – have received bribes from Russia?” De Graaff tweeted: “Payments for Russian propaganda are a piece of cake.”

Tonight the House of Representatives will debate with Minister De Jonge about Russian influence.