Money handed over to Bystron in the car? | There is growing evidence that AfD member of parliament Bystron received money as part of a Russian influence operation. The Czech secret service is said to have presented evidence to MPs in Prague for the first time.

(1/2)

>Last Thursday, the Czech domestic intelligence service BIS played a total of four audio recordings to MPs in Prague that substantiate the suspicion that European politicians were being paid by a Kremlin-affiliated network. The Czech MPs are members of the parliamentary oversight committee responsible for intelligence services.
>
>German MP Petr Bystron (AfD) can also be heard on two of the audio recordings. This is the result of joint research by the Czech daily newspaper [“Deník N”](https://denikn.cz/1407031/bylo-to-pul-milionu-bis-pustila-poslancum-nahravku-na-niz-bystron-prebira-penize) [paywall], the ARD political programme Kontraste and the weekly newspaper [“Die Zeit”](https://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2024-04/petr-bystron-afd-russland-zahlungen-voice-of-europe/komplettansicht) [paywall].
>
>A conversation between Bystron and Ukrainian businessman Artem Marchevskyy, who is loyal to Moscow, was also recorded. It is said to have taken place in Prague. The BIS had apparently bugged Marchevskyy’s car and thus witnessed the meeting between the two, during which money totalling 20,000 euros was allegedly handed over to Bystron. At least that is the conclusion of the BIS and several MPs who heard the recording.
>
>”Bystron rustles with money on the recording and counts it,” says a Czech MP who knows the recording. Other sources also confirm this. The new evidence incriminates Bystron, who denies the accusations.
>
>Bystron and Marchevskyy are also expected to discuss how employees of newly elected MEPs in the European Parliament could be financed in future. It is not yet clear whether the recording was made in 2023 or this year.
The existence of an audio recording incriminating Bystron was initially reported by “Deník N” and “Der Spiegel” at the beginning of April, but doubts have since been raised as to whether there are any recordings at all.
>
>According to Kontraste, Die Zeit and Deník N, the Czech domestic service sent an analysis and transcripts of the recordings to the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV). Upon enquiry, the BfV did not wish to comment on this for reasons of principle. “This means that no statement can be made as to whether the facts are correct or not,” said the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.

*Translated with DeepL.com (free version)*

And because the AfD abhors inclusive language:
20k in relation to his position as MP is such a small amount that one would think of a harbor whorer rather than an escort boy.