Police searched the offices of a European Parliament employee in Brussels and Strasbourg on Wednesday as part of an investigation into an alleged Russian influence operation.
The employee "played a significant role" in approaching and paying EU legislators to promote Russian propaganda via the pro-Kremlin website Voice of Europe (VoE), Belgian state prosecutors said.
The law enforcement action took place ahead of EU-wide elections early next month to decide the next European Parliament.
The searches were part of a broader operation concerning a "case of interference, passive corruption and membership of a criminal organization," Belgian state prosecutors said.
Police also searched the home of the parliament employee in Schaerbeek in the north of Brussels. Their identity or information about which EU legislator they were employed by was not provided.
In April, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo revealed that his country's intelligence services uncovered a Russian operation to influence the European Parliament elections and the EU institution.
Moscow's objective was very clear, De Croo said at the time, citing classified intelligence. "Help elect more pro-Russian candidates to the European Parliament and to reinforce a certain pro-Russian narrative in that institution."
De Croo said this was designed to weaken the European Union's support for Ukraine against the full-scale Russian invasion.
The Belgian prime minister said his country's intelligence services confirmed the existence of pro-Russian influence networks in Belgium and "several European countries."
De Croo's announcement followed Czech media reporting, citing intelligence sources, that far-right politician Petr Bystron, an Alternative for Germany (AfD) member of the German parliament, and his party colleague Maximilian Krah, were suspected of having contact with VoE and may have accepted money from them.
The EU has since sanctioned VoE, among other Russian-linked media companies, and banned the outlets from publishing or broadcasting in the bloc.
