Moscow is receiving intelligence from Austrian secret service?
(Baonghean.vn) - That is the question that is causing headaches for the country's opposition and media amid reports that European intelligence agencies are keeping their distance from Vienna, fearing that sensitive information could be shared with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with whom the ruling right-wing faction is cultivating ties.
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| A photograph of Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl dancing with Mr Putin at her wedding last week has sparked questions about whether Moscow is being passed on intelligence gathered by the Austrian secret service. Photo: AFP |
A widely circulated photo of Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl dancing with Mr. Putin at her wedding last week has further fueled the speculation.
Kneissl, who was appointed foreign minister by the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe), raised eyebrows by inviting Putin to the wedding. Both sides insisted it was a private event.
In addition to the Foreign Ministry, the FPOe has also held top positions in the Interior and Defense ministries since forming a coalition government with Chancellor Sebastian Kurz's conservative People's Party (OeVP) late last year.
Mr Putin's visit comes amid reports that other Western countries are becoming more cautious about intelligence cooperation with Austria due to suspicions that the FPOe and its Interior Minister Herbert Kickl are trying to influence the intelligence services.
Unnamed intelligence officials recently told the Washington Post that police raids on the BVT domestic intelligence agency in February were particularly concerning. The FPOe has had a “cooperation pact” with Putin’s United Russia party since 2016.
Austrian daily Die Presse on August 23 quoted an anonymous source in the BVT as saying there were concerns that information shared with Austria would land on Putin's desk the next day.
BVT Director Peter Gridling said in a statement earlier this week that cooperation with Austria's allies continues "as good as ever in important areas, such as the fight against terrorism".
No longer a "trusted partner"
Austria, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU), is neutral and not a member of the NATO military alliance.
The country is home to many international organizations, including the United Nations, OPEC, OSCE, and during the Cold War acted as a mediator between East and West.
In March, unlike many other EU countries, Austria did not expel Russian diplomats over the alleged poisoning of a former Russian spy in the UK, stressing its neutrality and saying it wanted to “keep open communication channels with Russia.” Britain has accused Russia of being behind the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, a claim Russia has flatly denied.
Austria's opposition on August 22 called for a national security council meeting in the next two weeks to discuss concerns that information may not continue to be shared with Austria by allies.
Jan Krainer, an MP from the opposition Social Democratic Party (SPOe), accused the government of harming Austria's security.
“The Austrian secret service is no longer considered a reliable partner,” said Krainer, who was also a member of the parliamentary investigation into the BVT affair earlier this year.
Former head of the German intelligence agency BND August Hanning also warned in the German newspaper Bild that “an intelligence agency that does not protect sensitive secrets, information and sources of its partners needs to be treated with caution.”
“Confidentiality must be guaranteed,” he said, although he told Austrian television on August 22 that he had no concrete evidence of any wrongdoing by BVT.
