Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser attributes the increased number of espionage cases unveiled to the fact that "the threat level is high and our security authorities have stepped up protection."
The German domestic intelligence service, formally known as the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, has "massively strengthened" its counter-espionage measures, both in terms of personnel and technology, Faeser told the Dusseldorf-based Rheinische Post newspaper in remarks published on Friday.
When asked about far-right AfD candidates for the European Parliament elections Maximilian Krah and Petr Bystron, who are facing accusations of links to Russian disinformation campaigns, Faeser said: "The security authorities have uncovered that the AfD's involvement with Russia extends right into our parliaments."
"This is exactly what [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is aiming for: he wants to attack our democracy and needs forces that he can utilize to do so."
Krah has also been criticized for his pro-China positions after one of his employees was arrested on suspicion of spying for China.