On Wednesday, Belgium took the unprecedented step of activating the EU crisis mechanism in response to foreign interference attempts in the upcoming European elections. As the current holder of the EU Council presidency, Belgium has initiated a tool to facilitate information exchange among the 27 member states regarding interference in crucial elections. The decision was not directed at any specific country, but came after multiple instances of Russian espionage and revelations that a platform promoting Russian propaganda had paid Members of the European Parliament for their cooperation.
The Voice of Europe network, headquartered in Prague, has been under investigation by Belgian and Czech justice systems for targeting far-right lawmakers from several European countries, including Germany, France, Poland, the Netherlands and Hungary. These actions have heightened concerns about Russian interference in European Parliament elections through tactics such as espionage, misinformation campaigns and use of influence agents. With elections scheduled for June 9th in Spain, there is concern that hybrid warfare tools may be utilized by Russia to disrupt democratic processes.
Internal reports from EU institutions warn of escalating Russian destabilization activities aimed at undermining the credibility of the EU and diminishing support for Ukraine. European intelligence services have also highlighted attempts by Kremlin to reestablish its espionage network within the EU despite previous expulsions of diplomats and sanctions related to conflict in Ukraine. At a recent European Council meeting leaders cautioned against interference attempts during a particularly turbulent period and agreed to closely monitor and mitigate risks.
The activation of this crisis mechanism will facilitate information sharing among member states, EU institutions and key partners to analyze and respond effectively to foreign interference in upcoming elections. The Prime Ministers of Belgium and Czech Republic have urged EU Commission and Council to impose new sanctions measures combat Russia’s activities while enhancing role prosecutors in addressing such cases.