A group of ten Members of the European Parliament has called on European Parliament President Roberta Metsola to take urgent measures to prevent potential leaks of confidential information to Russia. In a letter sent on Wednesday (8 April), the lawmakers expressed concern over risks of sensitive information being accessed and shared by pro-Russian actors within EU institutions.
The letter, published by Lithuanian MEP Petras Auštrevičius, refers to “deep concern regarding recent allegations” that the Hungarian government may have deliberately shared confidential information obtained during EU Council meetings with the Russian authorities. The signatories warned that similar vulnerabilities may exist within the European Parliament.
The MEPs noted that these concerns have been raised repeatedly in recent years, but that no substantial changes have been implemented. As a result, members have been forced to rely on their own security precautions when handling sensitive information.
“Pro-Russian MEPs with links to Putin’s regime are still able to attend in camera committee meetings and hire staff without undergoing proper security or open-source screening,” the lawmakers said. “This enables them to collect sensitive information, including details of our military and financial support for Ukraine, and pass it on to the Russian side.”
The group urged Metsola to take immediate and concrete steps to implement recommendations put forward by the European Parliament’s special committee on foreign interference (INGE). These include reforms to rules on transparency, integrity, accountability, and anti-corruption.
They also called for measures to limit access to confidential information and official activities for certain openly pro-Russian MEPs and their offices.
The letter was signed by Petras Auštrevičius, Pekka Toveri, Thijs Reuten, Nathalie Loiseau, Villy Søvndal, Elio Di Rupo, Bart Groothuis, Markéta Gregorová, Merja Kyllönen, and Engin Eroglu.
Source: commonspace.eu with Ukrainska Pravda