Accusation of bribery - AfD man Petr Bystron's house searched again
Petr Bystron's objects are being searched again, this time in the Czech Republic, as confirmed by the Munich Public Prosecutor's Office in response to an inquiry from stern. The ZDF reported it first. The background is an investigation against Bystron. He is accused of bribery and money laundering.
Two weeks ago, searches had already taken place in Bystron's office and apartment in Berlin. Now, "further objects, also in the Czech Republic, will be searched to secure additional evidence," a spokesperson for the Munich Public Prosecutor's Office wrote in a statement. "This refers to searches at the accused and at third parties/witnesses," it continued. Further details have not been disclosed yet.
Bystron told the German Press Agency (dpa) on Thursday that the objects in the Czech Republic were two apartments in Prague. They belong to him, but have been "long-term rented out" for several years.
Petr Bystron remains a part of the AfD delegation in the EU parliament despite criticism
This is now the third major search operation in the case. In May, Bavarian investigators searched Bystron's federal parliamentary office. The parliamentarian from the Munich North constituency is suspected of having received money in connection with the pro-Russian portal "Voice of Europe" in exchange for acting in the Bundestag in Russia's interest. The Bundestag lifted Bystron's immunity for the searches in May.
Bystron himself denied the allegations at the time and called the proceedings politically motivated. He expects the proceedings to be discontinued "when the election is over." Until the legally binding end of the proceedings, the presumption of innocence applies.
The politician has been under criticism for weeks due to the allegations. The AfD party leadership demanded that he not appear in the EU election campaign. He himself declared that he would not appear in the campaign for family reasons. However, a few days before the election, he took part in an AfD event in Nuremberg – and is now entering the European Parliament.
Unlike lead candidate Maximilian Krah, Bystron will be a part of the future AfD delegation. AfD co-leader Tino Chrupalla said that Bystron had given a sworn statement at a meeting of the new EU MPs that he had not received any money and "all statements are false." Some, including MPs, had demanded this of him, and it was important.
Investigators must soon take a compulsory leave of absence
The search operation came just before the investigators in the Bystron case were due to take a compulsory leave of absence due to his switch to the European Parliament. With his new mandate as an EU MP, Bystron, who ran for the AfD on list place two, enjoys immunity again. Further investigation can only be carried out after the announcement of a possible lifting of his immunity by the European Parliament.
In response to the ongoing investigation against him, Petr Bystron, a member of the AfD delegation in the EU parliament, revealed that two apartments in Prague, which belong to him but have been rented out for several years, will be subject to searches in the Czech Republic. Despite the accusations of bribery and money laundering, Bystron's case is linked to allegations of receiving money in exchange for acting in Russia's interest within the Bundestag, an allegation he vehemently denies.
