After the Obama administration accused the Russian government of hacking Democratic Party emails during America's presidential campaign, serious political observers are now concerned that Germany will become the next focus of Moscow's campaign to destabilize Western democracies during the national elections which are scheduled to take place in September.

After the hacking of computer networks in America, US intelligence and other western officials have now been able to trace a murky route back to Vladimir Putin's government in Moscow. The Kremlin's aim is to undercut liberal opponents of Vladimir Putin, destabilize political systems and undermine democratic processes across the European Union and NATO. Intelligence officers stressed that this was the motive for hacking the US Democratic National Committee and leaking emails that embarrassed Hillary Clinton campaign, who for quite a while, had an antagonistic relationship with Vladimir Putin.

Last May, the Germans had not been immune to such cowardly tactics, either. A renowned professor of political science in Germany, who has studied Russia's propaganda tactics, said that Mr Putin has a very strong incentive to undermine Angela Merkel, one of the strongest supporters of the sanctions against Russia for its annexation of Crimea and the savage war in Eastern Ukraine.

Putin knows well enough that Germany is the most important power in the EU and if he can harm Germany and prevent Ms Merkel from reaching a good outcome in September's elections by meddling in Germany's computer networks, ( like he did during the US presidential campaign to favour Donald Trump), then he would be able to triumph yet once again!

Cyber attacks have no other purpose than to provoke political uncertainty. They are bullying tactics, no more and no less... and that's what is dark and disturbing.

Jos Edmond Zarb

Birkirkara