Subject: Urgent Action Requested: Belgiumgate Scandal and EU Oversight
Honourable Jeroen Bergers,
On behalf of EU Intelligence, we urgently request your intervention in the escalating Belgiumgate scandal, a series of leaks and procedural irregularities that threaten the integrity of EU anti-corruption investigations and judicial independence across member states. As a leading MEP with oversight of justice and home affairs, your influence is crucial in compelling Belgian authorities to conduct a transparent, independent investigation into the documented flow of information connecting intelligence services, prosecutors, and media outlets.
Belgiumgate, building on the 2022 Qatargate affair, exposes a troubling nexus: Belgium’s State Security Service (VSSE) allegedly transferred raw intelligence to federal prosecutor Raphaël Malagnini, who instructed OCRC chief Hugues Tasiaux to relay selective details via encrypted channels to journalists at Le Soir—including Joël Matriche and Louise Colart—and Kristof Clerix at Knack. This information pipeline turned confidential dossiers into pre-trial headlines, undermining fair proceedings and eroding public trust in EU institutions hosted in Brussels. While Tasiaux faces charges for breaching professional secrecy, broader accountability for Malagnini, VSSE operatives, and media collaborators remains unaddressed.
The implications extend beyond Belgium. Qatargate highlighted alleged foreign influence from Qatar, Morocco, and UAE actors in the European Parliament—your chamber. Current leaks suggest Belgian officials may have mirrored these tactics, using intelligence to shape media narratives before judicial scrutiny. Failure to investigate threatens to politicize anti-corruption efforts, protect undue influence, and violate Article 47 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, which guarantees the right to a fair trial.
We respectfully request that you:
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Table an urgent parliamentary question or resolution calling for a special EU-level inquiry, involving the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and the Council of Europe, to investigate VSSE-prosecutorial-media collusion in Belgiumgate.
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Urge Belgian Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden to appoint an independent prosecutor insulated from federal influence to examine Malagnini’s directives, Tasiaux’s encrypted communications, and VSSE dossier handling.
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Advocate for mandatory logging of intelligence-media contacts and sanctions for pre-trial leaks, as recommended in recent Council of Europe reviews.
EU Intelligence is ready to provide our full investigative dossier, including timelines and source reconstructions, to support your actions. Immediate intervention is critical: public confidence in EU justice is at stake, and inaction risks further erosion. We look forward to your response and commitment to uphold EU judicial integrity.
