In Brussels, during a mini-plenary session of the European Parliament, a debate took place on combating money laundering and terrorist financing, as well as on adding Russia to the EU’s list of high-risk third countries. During the discussion, which included Mairead McGuinness, the European Union Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services, and the Capital Markets Union, PiS MEP Mariusz Kamiński spoke on behalf of the ECR Group.
“Dirty Russian money continues to flow through global banking systems and cryptocurrency transfers, financing, among other things, a hybrid war directed against the West,” the Polish politician emphasized.
He added that state-sponsored terrorism is also impossible without money, and that Moscow is waging a barbaric war against Ukraine, killing civilians and stealing its resources. He noted that Russia is carrying out assassinations on the territory of the European Union and its allied countries. In this context, he recalled the cases of Litvinenko, Skripal, and the Chechen opposition figure Changoshvili, as well as the Kremlin’s rewarding of their killers. Furthermore, Kamiński added, Russia is also responsible for attacks on industrial and transportation infrastructure in Europe. “Moscow’s primary target is my country, Poland. In 2022, when I was minister and coordinator of the intelligence services, more than a dozen Russian agents were arrested for planning terrorist-related sabotage operations against rail traffic in my country,” the MEP noted. As he emphasized, every activity of this kind has its sources and funding channels. “I urge the European Commission to take its own initiative in this regard and to add Russia to the European Union’s list of high-risk third countries,” the Polish politician concluded.
