Two senior officials in the Federal Ministry of Economics are suspected of being espionage.
(Photo: IMAGO/Political Moments)
Berlin The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) is targeting two senior officials at the Federal Ministry of Economics who may have been spying for Russia. The Handelsblatt learned this from security circles. The weekly newspaper “Die Zeit” first reported on the case.
Accordingly, the two officials work in a particularly sensitive area that deals with the energy policy of the federal government. The Economics Ministry handed the case over to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution after internal suspicions arose about those affected.
The Federal Ministry of Economics did not want to comment on the case. However, a spokeswoman said: “We always follow up on all security-related information in close coordination with the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and immediately implement any necessary steps, also in coordination with the Office for the Protection of the Constitution.”
The ministry has been “in close contact with the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution” since the beginning of the legislative period, since it is clear that the work of the ministry is “in a special focus”. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution announced that it generally does not comment on such facts, regardless of whether they apply or not.
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According to the “Zeit” report, the officials attracted attention because they had taken a conspicuously pro-Russian position in proposals on gas and energy policy. On issues such as the licensing of Nord Stream 2, the state intervention in Gazprom Germania and the rescue of Uniper, the officials have regularly insisted on an opinion that differs from the federal government. As a result, the Ministry’s management switched on the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which is responsible for counter-espionage.
The Office for the Protection of the Constitution sees “persistently high risk” from Russian espionage
The Office for the Protection of the Constitution checked the CVs of the suspected ministry officials and found biographical anomalies, in one case a study trip to Russia, according to Berlin sources. They followed up travel movements and checked whether flights were exclusively for business reasons or whether there were any suspicious detours.
They also looked at private friendships and personal relationships with Russians. So far, however, no clear evidence has been found that it is actually one or more spies.
In recent months, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution has repeatedly pointed out the danger of Russian espionage – most recently in the report by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. Against the background of the EU’s existing economic and trade sanctions against the Russian Federation and the conflicts in Eastern Europe, “an intensification of the activities of Russian intelligence services can be assumed,” says the report.
The secret service officials see a “persistently high risk” from Russian espionage and cyber attacks on German official networks, politics, business and science. As a result, the Federal Republic would suffer “considerable foreign and security policy as well as economic damage”.
More: Russian cyber attacks on German companies are increasing by leaps and bounds