BRUSSELS — Spies regularly target the European Commission, the region's digital economy boss said Thursday, specifically suggesting that Russia had listened in during negotiations last year over gas supplies to Ukraine.
The issue of spying is especially sensitive at present, with the German media reporting that Germany's intelligence agency helped the United States to gather information on European companies, including Airbus.
"My security experts tell me regularly of attacks from both inside and outside Europe," Günther Oettinger, Europe's Commissioner for the digital economy, said at an event.
During his previous position as EU energy commissioner, Oettinger last year led negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to ensure Gazprom continued to supply gas to Kiev despite a pricing dispute.
Oettinger said the talks succeeded even though he was certain Moscow had given itself an unfair advantage.
"When the gas talks were going on, I am sure Gazprom knew everything. Fortunately, we were still well prepared," he said.
Gazprom in Moscow declined to comment.
Oettinger said the European Commission, the EU executive, expected a report from Berlin in the coming weeks on whether German agencies had intercepted data from Brussels.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
