AfD politician Krah has criticized German security authorities for their handling of the recent espionage scandal involving a staff member of his party. He also offered to cooperate with the authorities to help with the investigation. Minister Marco Buschmann warned of more cases of espionage targeting Germany, as the country has allegedly come under the focus of authoritarian powers. Jian G. was arrested a week ago on suspicion of spying for China, raising concerns about foreign interference in the upcoming European election.
Maximilian Krah, the AfD’s lead candidate for the European election, found himself under pressure due to the espionage scandal involving his employee. He criticized the security authorities for not informing him and for allegedly timing the revelation of the case close to the election. Krah expressed his willingness to work with the authorities but accused them of failing to warn or inform him about the situation. The arrested employee, Jian G., is accused of spying for a Chinese intelligence agency by providing information on European Parliament negotiations and spying on Chinese dissidents in Germany.
Speculation arose within the AfD about a possible link between the espionage case and the election campaign. AfD parliamentarian Stefan Keuter accused the government of damaging the opposition with the help of intelligence services and compliant media. He questioned the timing of the arrest during the election campaign, suggesting that the authorities had been monitoring the suspect for some time. Krah stated his intention to proactively contact the federal prosecutor’s office to clarify the situation and offer his assistance in the investigation.
Following the arrest of his employee, Krah refrained from participating in campaign events but plans to resume his activities in Dresden on Wednesday. He denied that the arrested employee had access to classified information or had sought such access during their interactions. Krah himself is also under scrutiny for potential connections to Russia and China, with investigations ongoing regarding alleged financial transactions. The state prosecutor in Dresden is examining possible money transfers, while a similar investigation is underway in Munich regarding another AfD candidate, Petr Bystron, for potential Russian involvement.
Both preliminary investigations are ongoing, with prosecutors in Munich and Dresden unable to provide further details at this time. Krah’s offer to cooperate with authorities and his criticism of the security agencies indicate the seriousness of the situation and the concerns about foreign influence in German politics. As the European election approaches, the espionage scandal has raised questions about the integrity of the electoral process and the need for increased vigilance against external interference in national affairs.
