Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders | Johan Ordonez/AFP via Getty Images
Dutch government worried about Russian election interference
Minister says he is 'not naive' about a possible cyberattack.
By	Cynthia Kroet
Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders on Thursday said he is on alert about possible Russian cyberattacks targeting the parliamentary election in the Netherlands.
Koenders told broadcaster NOS that although he does not have "concrete evidence" about such interference, he is "not naive" about the possibility of a security threat before or during the vote on March 15.
The minister, who is on a visit to Washington, said he spoke with U.S. security experts and politicians about the worries the Dutch have about cyberattacks, after Russia was formally accused of hacking the Democratic Party's computer networks.
The Dutch parliament called for a debate about the issue, local media reported, after intelligence service AIVD warned about election interference. According to the AIVD, authorities and companies should not "underestimate" the effect of unwanted Russian hacking.
The remarks follow German Chancellor Angela Merkel's comments in November that Russia may try to influence Germany's general election this fall through cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns.
Cynthia Kroet
Dutch election 2017
EU-Russia relations