Did the AfD politicians Krah and Bystron accept money from pro-Russian sources? Party leader Chrupalla looks on Caren Miosga no sufficient evidence for this. If the accusation proves true, there is a risk of expulsion from the party.
AfD leader Tino Chrupalla said in the newspaper that he only found out about the corruption allegations against Maximilian Krah during the reporting process ARD-Broadcast Caren Miosga on Sunday evening. Krah ruled out ever receiving any money and confirmed this in writing. Likewise Petr Bystron.
Accusations have been made against the AfD’s top candidate for the European elections, Krah, and the runner-up on the list, Bystron, that they are receiving or have received money from pro-Russian sources. The alleged payments are said to be in connection with the pro-Russian internet platform “Voice of Europe”, which has now been placed on a sanctions list by the Czech Republic because it aims to exert influence on the EU Parliament.
Notes on payments
A contact of Putin’s confidant Viktor Medvedchuk, activist Oleg Woloshin, had sent suspicious chat messages to Krah, indicating that the AfD politician had received money from him. The FBI asked Research by “Spiegel” and ZDF “Frontal” Krah already in December to the chat messages.
The AfD member of the Bundestag Petr Bystron is said to have received 20,000 euros from the Moscow-loyal Ukrainian businessman Artem Martschewskyj, according to joint research by the Czech daily newspaper “Deník N”. ARD-Politics magazine Contrasts and the weekly newspaper “Die Zeit” resulted. The information is based on audio recordings recorded by the Czech domestic intelligence service BIS and which are intended to document the handover of the money. Both AfD politicians deny having accepted money from pro-Russian sources.
It’s threatening Party exclusion
AfD leader Chrupalla did not want to rule out the possibility that the suspected payments existed. However, he currently sees no sufficient evidence for this: “In the constitutional state, the presumption of innocence applies.” As long as there is no evidence or evidence, he believes Krah and Bystron. “Nothing has been proven to the contrary. In this respect, I stand behind my two colleagues today.” However, when asked by Caren Miosga, he did not want to guarantee their innocence.
However, if the suspicion turns out to be true, Krah and Bystron would have to leave the party, said Chrupalla: “Such people have no place with us.” The AfD is very interested in clarifying the allegations. According to the AfD leader, these would burden the party’s European election campaign. A meeting of the party executive committee should therefore take place on Monday, at which Krah and Bystron will have to explain themselves.
Distancing yourself from Krah’s book
When asked about passages from Maximilian Krah’s book, “Politics from the Right”, in which it is said that women at the top have a lower intelligence quotient than men and are therefore less suitable for leadership positions, Chrupalla distanced himself from his party colleague: “Be The book is not the party or European program of the AfD.” They discussed it with him and found it to be bad. He couldn’t say anything more about the passages quoted; Chrupalla had not read Krah’s book, he explained on the show.
“I don’t know whether he wrote the book himself. You might have to ask him about that yourself,” says Chrupalla. It is not his job as party leader to defend the private positions of his party members. “This is Maximilian Krah’s individual and private opinion.” It doesn’t suit his taste.
The journalist Nadine Lindner contradicted this. What’s going on in his party is certainly his business as party leader: “Mr. Krah is an elected member of the federal executive board.” According to Lindner, he comes from the center of the party and is by no means a fringe figure. Large parts of the AfD would at least support or accept his statements: “It’s not like there is an outcry across the party because of what Mr. Krah is saying,” said Lindner.
Kaeser: “Defend cosmopolitanism”
The chairman of the supervisory boards of Siemens Energy AG and Daimler Truck AG, Joe Kaeser, appealed to Tino Chrupalla to adopt a more migration-friendly stance. It is relevant for Germany’s reputation in the world and the attractiveness of the location for skilled workers from abroad that German society is not perceived as xenophobic. “I can only sincerely ask you to defend this cosmopolitanism,” said Kaeser.