Because of the espionage affairs that have been taking place in Germany lately, and in which they are being targeted Russian and Chinese agentsthe question arises as to why this is happening in one of the most important EU member states.
In six days, six alleged Russian and Chinese spies were arrested.
As he says for Danas Nemanja Rujevića journalist from Bonn, what is interesting is that now these cases in Germany are being pushed publicly.
“It is a conscious decision to raise the public’s attention,” says Rujević.
“To increase vigilance, probably, and for the German secret services to lobby for more money from the budget for themselves, because they are engaged in important and responsible work,” says Rujević.
He explains that it is impossible to know whether it is true when the head of the Institute for the Protection of the Constitution, Thomas Haldenwang, says that Germany is like in the Cold War and that there is a lot of espionage activity.
“But it could be true, given everything that is happening in the world,” says Rujević.
According to him, one does not need to be a great expert to conclude that spies “do not sleep”.
“I assume that Moscow is teeming with Western spies, just as Germany is teeming with Russian or Chinese spies, there’s no doubt about that,” he points out.
As Rujević says, Germany is in the spicy position of being by far the biggest European helper to Ukraine.
“Second after the United States of America (USA). Regardless of the fact that some other countries are stronger in their words, Germany fiercely helps with weapons, politically, financially, and intelligence. Therefore, it is certainly of additional interest to Russia,” points out Rujević.
Miloš Mitrovića foreign policy journalist, tells Danas that the German intelligence services have definitely stepped up their work due to the war in Ukraine and the official perception of China as a strategic rival.
“It is interesting that the suspected spies are from different backgrounds – one worked for a member of parliament the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), others are German-Russian citizens, and some are businessmen,” notes Mitrović.
“Unrelated Cases”
Rujevic says that the latest examples of arrests of alleged Russian and Chinese spies, as well as some arrests before that, reveal that these are all unrelated cases.
As he explains, some individuals offered themselves to various services for cooperation, with some it is not even proven that they contributed anything, with others it can be assumed that they could not contribute God knows what because they were not in some important positions, but that does not mean that there is no and more serious spies.
“In the public eye and considering the way it is treated in the media, it sometimes looks a bit like the title of Ante Tomić’s book “Nothing should surprise us”. A kind of constant vigilance is required. When you add to that the constant investigation of alleged anti-Semitic and real anti-Semitic outbursts, it is a slightly strange social atmosphere,” Rujević emphasizes.
As he says, it was known from before, even in the Cold War, that spies were arrested quietly and then exchanged for spies of their own side.
“It was not a media sensation. The fact that everything is now going to the media is proof that the gloves have been taken off and that there is now an open fight in that field as well. It’s not just a classic espionage fight, it’s also a fight for public opinion – we need to show that the other side is dangerous and that we need to be prepared,” he notes.
No evidence: Russians, Chinese, Islamic State
When you add to that the fact that two major events will be held in Europe this summer – the European Football Championship and the Olympic Games in Paris, and that it is mentioned that Islamists have already arrived in Germany and may be planning spectacular attacks, although there is no evidence for this – the public can be appeased.
What the head of the Institute for the Protection of the Constitution says, says Rujević, has another kind of side effect.
He openly said that all Chinese students and Chinese visiting professors in Germany are giving information to the Chinese state.
“To say something like that openly without a fence is very dangerous and can lead to suspicion of every Chinese in Germany.” Likewise, when he says that the Russian community in Germany, which numbers millions of people who have Russian origins or who immigrated from Russia in the first generation, is a potential pool of Putin’s spies, he can also make that community a target of discrimination,” he warns. Rujevic.
Contradictions confuse the public: Scholz opened an account on Tiktok
As Mitrović says, while the relations between Russia and Germany are very bad and “there are slim chances” that they will improve, Germany does not want a confrontation with Beijing, regardless of their strategic rivalry.
“On the other hand, he does not want China’s large influence in the German economy either.” “Chancellor Olaf Scholz almost paid a three-day visit to China, which was his longest stay abroad since he was appointed in December 2021,” Mitrović reminds.
He adds that Scholz and other members of the German government recently opened accounts on Tiktok.
“Even though the politicians of the parties they belong to and part of the public warn that the company, the owner of that platform, is in the service of the Chinese Communist Party. “Such contradictions confuse the public, and open the question of whether the government in Berlin is also confused,” concludes Mitrović.
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Tags: gloves open fight Danas interlocutors arrest Russian Chinese spies Germany World
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