Europe has been shaked by several high-profile scandals involving the influence of Russia and China. A network of pro-Russian websites was identified that spread propaganda and disinformation in the EU. Later, EU citizens were found to be spying for Russia and China.
Despite this, Elena Yoncheva, the EU lawmaker from the pro-Russian Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP/PES), is poised to join the electoral list of the pro-European party DPS. Yoncheva has more than once taken some pro-Russian positions in the European Parliament in line with the BSP party stance. For example, in February, Yoncheva and the four MEPs on the BSP list did not take part in the vote on the EU Parliament’s resolution on the so-called ‘Russiagate’ probe, which could see lawmakers stripped of their immunity if they are found by national authorities to be spying for Russia.
Earlier the Bulgarian Socialist Party opposes sending military aid to Ukraine. The party sees this as an act of incitement to war in Ukraine. Also, BSP refuses to condemn Russia for the aggression, and BSP MEPs strictly follow this political line.
Currently Yoncheva is in serious conflict with BSP leader Kornelia Ninova, so she tried to find some opportunities for nomination in another party.
“I accept the nomination of DPS-Blagoevgrad to participate in the campaign as a candidate for MEP as a recognition of everything I have achieved in the European Parliament for Bulgaria”, Yoncheva wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.
In fact, that could be a kind of political Trojan horse. Because for Russia, it can be a useful method of promoting its agents of influence under the guise of pro-European political forces.