MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th March, 2021) Reports and media hype surrounding the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party being placed under surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency (BfV) damage its image and undermine its right to participate in the upcoming national and some state elections on equal footing with other political parties, an AfD member, Albert Breininger, told Sputnik.
On Wednesday, German media reported that the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution placed AfD on a list of those "suspected of right-wing extremism" thus implying that it has most likely been placed under surveillance.
"This is a nasty election campaign. With these dirty methods the ruling elite is trying to get rid of the opposition. We have the biggest faction in Bundestag. This intentionally leaked info was meant to be exposed at this particular time to undermine our election chances. Let's see what damage has been done to the party after the elections," Albert Breininger said.
The BfV refused to comment on media reports while the interior ministry said it would neither confirm nor deny them.
The AfD's co-chairman also Tino Chrupalla on Wednesday accused the authorities of leaking the information to the media. He said it was a "scandalous" attempt to influence opinion about the party.
A court in the city of Cologne supported an urgent motion by AfD and ruled on Friday to suspend moves by domestic intelligence against the party pending a final case ruling.
Breininger called this a "small victory" and said he was looking forward to the final decision by a higher administrative court in Munster.
