The German domestic intelligence service is targeting two officials from the Ministry of Economic Affairs for possible Russian espionage.
(Photo: dpa)
Berlin As a consequence of the suspicion of Russian espionage in the Federal Ministry of Economics, domestic politicians in the traffic light coalition are striving for a readjustment of counter-espionage.
The Greens politician and intelligence expert Konstantin von Notz told the Handelsblatt: “It takes a resolute analysis of the status quo and readjustment in order to better ward off this threat to our security.” control body that oversees the work of the federal secret services.
“It’s becoming increasingly clear how urgently this is needed,” von Notz continued. The question of what had actually happened in the past few years in the area of Russian espionage and illegitimate influence in Germany had to be investigated “very intensively”. Current dangers would also have to be reassessed, von Notz added.
The background is that the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution is targeting two senior officials from the Federal Ministry of Economics who may have been spying for Russia. The Handelsblatt learned this from security circles. The “Zeit” had previously reported on it.
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The officials work in an area that deals with the government’s energy policy. The Economics Ministry handed the case over to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution after internal suspicions arose about those affected.
FDP: “Urgently revise strategy and priorities in counterintelligence
The FDP therefore also sees a need for action. The incident in the Ministry of Economics shows: “While Germany has ignored all warnings about an energy policy rapprochement with Russia, Russia has systematically expanded its espionage activities in this country, possibly especially in the area of energy policy,” said parliamentary group leader Konstantin Kuhle the Handelsblatt.
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The turning point in security policy announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) must now also be reflected in counter-espionage. “The federal government should urgently revise its strategy and priorities in counterintelligence,” said Kuhle.
A spokeswoman for Economics Minister Robert Habeck said on the suspicion of espionage that no comments could be made on any individual cases. The ministry has been in close contact with the Office for the Protection of the Constitution since the beginning of the legislative period, because it is clear that the work of the ministry is a special focus due to its responsibility for energy security and the high dependence on Russian energy imports, she added.
“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,” said the spokeswoman.
The CSU domestic politician Andrea Lindholz said: If the suspicion of espionage is confirmed, it would be a “tangible espionage scandal” that would have to be fully clarified. “This suspicious case shows again how much Germany needs a powerful protection of the constitution, especially in this situation,” emphasized the deputy head of the Union parliamentary group in an interview with the Handelsblatt.
The traffic light coalition partners should therefore “urgently reconsider their ideological distrust of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and strengthen it in terms of personnel, technology and modern powers as an early warning system for our democracy”.
More: Concern for internal security: the Office for the Protection of the Constitution warns of Russian “false information” about gas shortages