Krah’s employee Jian G. is in custody on charges of spying for China. Preliminary investigations by the Dresden Public Prosecutor’s Office are underway against the politician himself because of possible financial payments from Russian and Chinese sources. He still wants to remain the top candidate, but according to the party he will not take part in the event in Donaueschingen. Number two on the AfD European list, Bystron, is also accused of accepting money from Russia.
“Spiegel” reported on the retrieval of the secret documents on Friday evening. The magazine cited an internal investigation by the EU Parliament’s Trade Committee. Accordingly, Krah’s office repeatedly requested documents that were classified as “sensitive” or “restricted.”
According to “Spiegel”, the content of the documents included, among other things, analyzes of the foreign trade strategies of partner states or documents about the course of trade negotiations. It initially remained unclear whether Krah himself or one of his employees – possibly Jian G. – had requested the documents.
G. is not only accused of passing on information about negotiations in the EU Parliament. He is also said to have spied on Chinese opposition members in Germany.
Krah’s name has been mentioned for weeks in connection with the affair surrounding the pro-Russian Internet medium “Voice of Europe”. The Czech government imposed sanctions on this at the end of March because it considers it to be an influence operation by the Kremlin. After the allegations became known, Krah initially distanced himself from Bystron and recommended that he not make any election campaign appearances for the time being.
Speeches by AfD chairwoman Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla are planned for the event in Donaueschingen. The AfD is running with a list of 35 candidates for the European elections on June 9. Changes to the list are de facto no longer possible, including replacing Krah or Bystron with other candidates.
The AfD is currently represented in the European Parliament by nine MPs within the “Identity and Democracy” group. In its election manifesto, the party advocates a “federation of European nations”. The EU considers it “unreformable” and a “failed project”.
Before the election campaign began, there were protests against the AfD in Donaueschingen. A demonstrator also appeared with a Krah mask. “For democracy and against brown swamp” read one banner. The SPD, CDU, Greens and FDP, among others, called for a rally “For democracy and diversity in Europe”.
In light of the allegations against Krah and those around him, Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt (Greens) called for better protection of parliaments from extremist employees. “Employees who do not stand on the basis of our free democratic basic order should not have access to parliament buildings and no access to the Bundestag network,” she told the newspapers of the Funke media group. In Germany, the powers of the Bundestag police should be expanded.
Göring-Eckardt also spoke out in favor of a ban on the AfD. “The AfD does not represent German interests. It is a danger to our country,” said the Bundestag Vice President. “Obviously, the AfD is more concerned with how Russia and China are doing – and how much money they are getting for it,” added the Green Party politician.
