Also new allegations against Bystron
Kremlin wrote “manifesto” for the AfD
April 26, 2024, 3:42 p.m
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At a strategy meeting, the Russian government deals with the future of the AfD – and then formulates a strategy paper for the party. According to one report, parts of it appear again “almost word-for-word” in a Höcke speech.
According to a media report, the Russian government discussed the future of the AfD in a strategy meeting a year and a half ago and then wrote a “manifesto” with theses on German domestic policy. The meeting at the beginning of September 2022 in the Kremlin was about “developing a new concept for the Alternative for Germany party,” quotes “Spiegel” with reference to a note from a Western intelligence service.
According to the report, the “manifesto” painted a gloomy picture of Germany, particularly the economic and social situation, and spoke of increasing divisions in the country. The aim was to increase the AfD’s poll numbers “and to achieve a majority in elections at all levels,” the “Spiegel” reports. According to the unnamed intelligence service, the order was given by one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest confidants.
Bystron accepts gifts from pro-Russian circles
Today’s AfD top candidate for the state elections in Thuringia, Björn Höcke, gave a speech in Gera in October 2022 in which content from the “manifesto” was “sometimes almost word for word”, according to the report. Accordingly, Höcke responded to a query from the magazine: “The same thing is not the same thing.” The AfD did not comment on this.
Meanwhile, further details became known in connection with the allegations of accepting money from Russia against the AfD member of the Bundestag and candidate in the European elections Petr Bystron. He is said to have admitted to the party executive that he had “accepted small packages from the pro-Russian media manager Artem Martschewskyj,” reports “Spiegel”, citing participants in the conversation.
Marchevsky is said to have been responsible for the content of the Russia-friendly platform “Voice of Europe” and to have maintained contacts with European politicians. According to “Spiegel”, Bystron said that there was no money in the packages – but he did not say what the packages contained. When asked by “Spiegel”, Bystron spoke of a “campaign” that should be “kept alive” by the media until the election.