The Bundestag condemned the trip by far-right lawmakers to Russia
Representatives of the CDU, SPD, and the Greens criticized politicians from the far-right “Alternative for Germany” party for participating in the St. Petersburg Economic Forum. The German parliament stated that such contacts with Russia are politically unacceptable in light of the war against Ukraine.
The deputy chairman of the AfD parliamentary group in the Bundestag and foreign policy spokesperson Markus Fronmaier, as well as MP Steffen Kotre, plan to participate in Russia’s main economic forum, which will take place from June 3 to 6. the deputy chairman of the AfD faction in the Bundestag and foreign policy spokesperson Markus Fronmaier, MP Steffen Kottre, the head of the party’s Saxony chapter Jörg Urban, and Member of the European Parliament Petr Bystroň are planning to participate.
“Such trips are very risky from a security policy perspective,” said Mark Heinrichmann (CDU), chairman of the Bundestag’s Intelligence Committee.
He explained that Russian intelligence services use events such as the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum “to gather intelligence and recruit agents.”
“Anyone traveling there should know: you will not return unnoticed,” Heinrichmann warned.
The chairman of the parliamentary committee accused the AfD of undermining Western unity against Putin, calling it “political capitulation to a war criminal.”
Konstantin von Notz, deputy chairman of the Green Party’s parliamentary group, emphasized that the far-right party has repeatedly collaborated with dictatorial regimes seeking to harm Germany.
“Alternative for Germany does not represent German interests. It wants to turn Germany into a Russian outpost,” he said.
Sebastian Fiedler, the SPD’s spokesperson on domestic policy in the Bundestag, also called the participation of German politicians in the forum at the invitation of individuals from Putin’s inner circle “highly problematic from a security standpoint.” He expressed concern that classified information could be leaked.
The AfD, on the other hand, defended its lawmakers’ right “to maintain contact with all parties and keep communication channels open” amid the tense international situation.
This was reported by the publication Handelsblatt.
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