The Western media is discussing the accusations against German MP Markus Frohnmaier of enjoying Russia's support, made by the Dossier Centre, funded by Mikhail Khodorkovsky. German newspapers Spiegel and ZDF, BBC and La Republica, joining the searching for 'Kremlin connection' trend, conducted a joint investigation into Russia's alleged attempts to influence the 2017 elections to the Bundestag.
Khodorkovsky's people obtained the documents, which describe Markus Frohnmaier, member of the German parliament from the far-right AfD party, as "under absolute control" of Russian politicians, making him a suitable candidate in German national elections, and recommend "material and media support" for his campaign.
AfD, which has 94 seats in the Bundestag now, is well known in German political circles for making pro-Russian statements. Frohnmaier has frequently spoken out against EU sanctions on Russia. At the same time, there is no evidence that the party and its member have links to the Kremlin, and the Dossier Centre's attack may be connected with interparty struggle in parliament.
Frohnmaier denied any links to the Kremlin and said he had no knowledge of the Russian document obtained by the Dossier Centre, nor of document apparently written on behalf of his campaign.
"I think that's a fake document," he told BBC.
Asked whether he could explain how the authors of the Russian document came to the conclusion that he would be an "absolutely controlled MP", Frohnmaier said, in a statement from his lawyers: "Our client emphasizes that he was never under the control of any third party. Our client has not requested or received financial support directly or through third parties."
Bundestag's Vice President, member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) Thomas Oppermann insists on conducting a formal investigation.
Senior parliamentary group official for the Green Party Britta Hasselmann stressed that Frohnmaier and the AfD are now "massively obligated to lay all the facts on the table."
"Whoever makes himself so dependent on other powers cannot independently act in the interests of the German people in Parliament," CDU Secretary General Paul Ziemiak said following a meeting of his party's Executive Committee in Berlin. "Does one want such a person within his own ranks?"
All these statements were made, despite the fact that evidence of the authenticity of the papers shown by the London Dossier was not given. Thus, all opponents of the AfD in the Bundestag united to discredit the party through an "American-style leak," which provide no real evidence, but immediately drawing final conclusions based on it.
