Ireland Will Ban Political Parties From Accepting Cryptocurrency Donations, Citing Foreign Interference

Ireland has announced election measures that will make it illegal for political parties to accept bitcoin donations.

New rules on political integrity will be introduced to counter potential Russian cyber-interference in Ireland’s democracy.

As part of a legislative overhaul, foreign contributions would be restricted, and parties will be compelled to completely declare all property holdings.

Darragh O’Brien, Ireland’s Local Government Minister, wrote to party leaders outlining a slew of new procedures aimed at preventing foreign meddling in Irish elections.

The reforms include safeguards against misinformation campaigns on social media that could sway elections, as well as new legislation limiting how and from whom political parties can obtain funds.

All political parties must now be able to submit consolidated accounts that follow international accounting standards and best practices. In addition, party leaders will be required to sign certifications stating that they are in compliance with the new fundraising laws.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine was presented by O’Brien as an example of how hazardous politically-charged misinformation is to democracies around the world.

“The heinous invasion of Ukraine and the devious disinformation campaign underline the basic vulnerabilities that all democracies face,” he stated.

In January 2022, O’Brien launched his policy reform campaign by directing Attorney General Paul Gallagher to assemble a task group of lawyers and political scientists to “construct a legal and digital bulwark against malicious influence in our elections.”

Ireland has previously been subjected to Russian meddling

Russian meddling in Ireland recently has been subtle but considerable. In 2018, the government enacted emergency laws to prevent the Russian Embassy in Dublin from expanding further. Commentators speculated that building was to house signals intelligence infrastructure.

The Conti assault, which entered the Health Service Executive (HSE) and knocked its computer systems offline in May 2021, demonstrates how a decline in broader security can impact Irish society in unanticipated ways.

The attack was alleged to have been carried out by the Wizard Spider crime organization, which is based in St. Petersburg, Russia.

DISCLAIMER: The Information on this website is provided as general market commentary and does not constitute investment advice. We encourage you to do your own research before investing.

Join CoinCu Telegram to keep track of news: https://t.me/coincunews

Follow CoinCu Youtube Channel | Follow CoinCu Facebook page

Annie

CoinCu News