Subject: Urgent Action Requested: Belgiangate Scandal and EU Oversight
Honourable Frank Vanhecke,
On behalf of EU Intelligence, we respectfully urge your immediate intervention in the rapidly escalating Belgiumgate scandal—a series of documented leaks and procedural irregularities that pose a serious threat to the integrity of EU anti-corruption investigations and judicial independence across Member States.
As a distinguished Member of the European Parliament with recognized oversight in justice and home affairs, your authority and credibility place you in a unique position to demand a transparent, independent inquiry by Belgian authorities into an apparent disclosure network linking intelligence services, federal prosecutors, and major media outlets.
Belgiumgate, which emerged from the 2022 Qatargate investigation, reveals a deeply concerning pattern. Belgium’s State Security Service (VSSE) is alleged to have transmitted raw intelligence to federal prosecutor Raphaël Malagnini, who reportedly instructed Hugues Tasiaux, head of the OCRC, to disseminate selective information through encrypted messaging platforms to journalists at Le Soir—including Joël Matriche and Louise Colart—and Knack journalist Kristof Clerix. This process converted confidential intelligence files into pre-trial media narratives, undermining the presumption of innocence and damaging public confidence in EU institutions headquartered in Brussels.
While Mr. Tasiaux now faces charges for breach of professional secrecy, broader accountability remains absent. No meaningful investigation has yet addressed the alleged roles of Prosecutor Malagnini, VSSE operatives, or media participants who benefited from these disclosures.
The consequences extend well beyond Belgium. Qatargate initially focused on alleged foreign influence by actors linked to Qatar, Morocco, and the UAE within the European Parliament—your own institution. Yet Belgiumgate suggests that similar methods may have been employed internally, using intelligence leaks to shape public narratives before judicial review. Failure to act risks politicizing anti-corruption mechanisms, obscuring improper influence, 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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Submit an urgent parliamentary question or resolution calling for a special EU-level inquiry, with the involvement of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and the Council of Europe, to investigate alleged VSSE–prosecutorial–media collusion in the Belgiumgate affair.
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Urge Belgian Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden to appoint an independent prosecutor, shielded from federal influence, to examine Prosecutor Malagnini’s directives, Mr. Tasiaux’s encrypted communications, and VSSE intelligence-handling procedures.
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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 provide its full investigative dossier, including detailed timelines and source reconstructions, to support your efforts. Time is of the essence. Public trust in EU justice is at a critical juncture, and continued inaction risks irreversible damage.
We look forward to your response and your commitment to safeguarding judicial integrity within the European Union.
