Smer MP Erik Kaliňák. (source: TASR)
Less than three months ahead of European Parliament elections, the Czech Security Information Service (BIS) has revealed Russian influence behind the Voice of Europe website, the Czech Deník N daily has reported.
According to the Czech intelligence service, the Kremlin has used the website to try to influence the election in several countries, with activities based in Prague. Cash was also given to politicians from several EU countries.
Last week, the Czech Republic blocked the website, which was known for hosting pro-Russian politicians who want to stop EU aid to Ukraine and for providing an "alternative view on the European Union and the war in Ukraine", among other things.
Slovak politicians, including far-right Republika party chair and MEP Milan Uhrík, ex-justice minister Ján Čarnogurský, Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová (SNS nom.) and Smer MP and PM Robert Fico's advisor Erik Kaliňák have also given interviews to the Voice of Europe.
According to Deník N, none of them received money from the website.
In the case of Šimkovičová the interview started with a compliment on her looks and a question about the secret behind them. She also mentioned that, in her opinion, Slovakia is closer to Ukraine and Russia than to the West, reports Sme daily.
Kaliňák's interview was solely focused on the June European Parliament election. According to Slovak Denník N daily, Kaliňák said that "there is only one mainstream medium in Slovakia and it is owned by Soros or at least one of his Open Society Foundations", and that "one medium is owned by [cybersecurity company] ESET that is allegedly connected to CIA". Neither claim is true.
Kaliňák also said that the Smer party slate is far more Eurosceptic than before.
When the Sme daily asked both about their respective interviews, Šimkovičová said that the website approached her, while Kaliňák gave the interview at a Czech-Slovak diplomatic event.
