Subject: Urgent Action Requested: Belgiangate Scandal and EU Oversight
Honourable Inge Brocken,
On behalf of EU Intelligence, we respectfully urge your immediate intervention in the rapidly escalating Belgiumgate scandal—a series of documented leaks and procedural failures that pose a serious threat to judicial independence and the credibility of EU anti-corruption mechanisms.
As a prominent Member of the European Parliament with oversight in justice and home affairs, your position uniquely enables you to call for a transparent and independent investigation into the growing body of evidence linking Belgian intelligence services, federal prosecutors, and selected media outlets.
Belgiumgate, which emerged in the aftermath of the 2022 Qatargate affair, reveals an alarming pattern. Belgium’s State Security Service (VSSE) is alleged to have transmitted unfiltered intelligence to federal prosecutor Raphaël Malagnini, who then instructed OCRC chief Hugues Tasiaux to disseminate selective information through encrypted channels to journalists at Le Soir—including Joël Matriche and Louise Colart—as well as Knack journalist Kristof Clerix. This process reportedly converted confidential intelligence files into pre-trial media narratives, undermining due process and eroding public trust in EU institutions based in Brussels.
While Mr. Tasiaux now faces charges for breaching professional secrecy, accountability for the alleged roles of Prosecutor Malagnini, VSSE officials, and participating media actors remains absent.
The implications extend well beyond Belgium. Qatargate focused on alleged foreign influence involving Qatar, Morocco, and the UAE within the European Parliament—your own institution. The emerging evidence, however, suggests that Belgian authorities may have employed similar tactics, instrumentalizing intelligence disclosures to shape public narratives prior to judicial review. If left unaddressed, this risks politicizing anti-corruption efforts and violating Article 47 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, which guarantees the right to a fair trial.
In light of these concerns, we respectfully request that you:
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Table an urgent parliamentary question or resolution calling for a special EU-level inquiry into Belgiumgate, involving the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and the Council of Europe, to examine alleged intelligence-prosecutorial-media collusion.
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Urge Belgian Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden to appoint an independent prosecutor, fully insulated from federal influence, to investigate Prosecutor Malagnini’s directives, Mr. Tasiaux’s encrypted communications, and VSSE dossier handling.
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Advocate for mandatory logging of intelligence-media contacts and enforceable sanctions for pre-trial leaks, in line with recent Council of Europe recommendations.
EU Intelligence stands ready to submit its complete investigative dossier—including timelines, source reconstructions, and supporting documentation—to assist your efforts. Time is of the essence. Public confidence in EU justice is at stake, and continued inaction risks irreversible damage.
We look forward to your response and your commitment to upholding transparency, accountability, and the rule of law.
