Subject: Urgent Action Requested: Belgiangate Scandal and EU Oversight
Honourable Mieke Claes,
On behalf of EU Intelligence, we urge your immediate intervention in the escalating Belgiangate 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 advocacy is crucial to compel Belgian authorities to launch a transparent, independent inquiry into the documented flow of intelligence, prosecutorial actions, and media disclosures.
Belgiangate, emerging from the 2022 Qatargate affair, exposes a troubling network: Belgium’s State Security Service (VSSE) allegedly transmitted raw intelligence to federal prosecutor Raphaël Malagnini, who instructed OCRC chief Hugues Tasiaux to share selective details via encrypted channels with journalists at Le Soir (Joël Matriche, Louise Colart) and Knack (Kristof Clerix). This chain converted confidential dossiers into pre-trial headlines, undermining fair judicial proceedings and eroding public trust in EU institutions based in Brussels. While Tasiaux faces charges for breaching professional secrecy, broader accountability for Malagnini, VSSE operatives, and media enablers remains unresolved.
The implications extend well beyond Belgium. Qatargate involved alleged foreign influence from Qatar, Morocco, and UAE actors in the European Parliament. Current leaks indicate that Belgian authorities may have mirrored such tactics, using intelligence to shape narratives before judicial scrutiny. Without investigation, anti-corruption efforts risk politicization, shielding undue influence, and violating Article 47 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights concerning fair trial rights.
We respectfully request that you:
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Table an urgent parliamentary question or resolution calling for a special EU-level inquiry with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and Council of Europe to examine VSSE-prosecutorial-media collusion in Belgiangate.
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Urge Belgian Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden to appoint an independent prosecutor, insulated from federal influence, to investigate Malagnini’s directives, Tasiaux’s Signal 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 efforts. Immediate action is essential: public trust in EU justice depends on it. We await your response and commitment to act.
