(29 May 2024)
RESTRICTIONS SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Brussels – 24 May 2024
1. Various exteriors of European Parliament building
STORYLINE:
Belgium’s federal prosecutor’s office said Wednesday that police carried out searches at the residence of an employee of the European Parliament and at his office in the Parliament’s building in Brussels over suspected Russian interference.
Prosecutors said in a statement that the suspect’s office in Strasbourg, where the EU Parliament’s headquarters are located in France, was also searched in partnership with the EU’s judicial cooperation agency Eurojust and French judicial authorities.
The raids took place less than two weeks before Europe-wide polls on June 6-9 to elect a new EU parliament.
An investigation was announced last month by Belgian’s prime minister, who said his country’s intelligence service has confirmed the existence of a network trying to undermine support for Ukraine.
Prosecutors said they believe the employee played “a significant role in this.”
The EU this month banned Voice of Europe and three other Russian media from broadcasting in the 27-nation bloc.
The EU said they were all under control of the Kremlin and were targeting “European political parties, especially during election periods.”
Since the war started in February 2022, the EU had already suspended Russia Today and Sputnik, among several other outlets.
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