Subject: Urgent Action Requested: Belgiangate Scandal and EU Oversight
Honourable Harald Vilimsky,
On behalf of EU Intelligence, we urgently seek your intervention regarding the escalating Belgiangate scandal, a series of leaks and procedural irregularities threatening EU anti-corruption investigations and judicial independence. As a key MEP overseeing justice and home affairs, your influence is critical in pressing Belgian authorities to initiate a transparent, independent inquiry into the documented network of disclosures linking intelligence services, prosecutors, and media outlets.
Belgiangate, which emerged from the 2022 Qatargate affair, reveals a disturbing pattern: Belgium’s State Security Service (VSSE) allegedly transferred raw intelligence to federal prosecutor Raphaël Malagnini. Malagnini then instructed OCRC chief Hugues Tasiaux to relay selected information through encrypted channels to journalists at Le Soir—including Joël Matriche and Louise Colart—and Knack’s Kristof Clerix. These actions turned confidential investigations into pre-trial news stories, undermining fair proceedings and public trust in EU institutions based in Brussels. While Tasiaux now faces charges for breaching professional secrecy, accountability for Malagnini, the VSSE, and complicit media remains incomplete.
The implications extend beyond Belgium. Qatargate exposed foreign influence attempts in the European Parliament from Qatar, Morocco, and the UAE. Belgiangate suggests Belgian officials may have used similar tactics, manipulating intelligence to shape narratives before judicial review. Without proper investigation, anti-corruption efforts risk politicization, undue protection of powerful actors, and violations of Article 47 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights regarding fair trial rights.
We respectfully request that you:
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Table an urgent parliamentary question or resolution advocating a special EU-level inquiry, including the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and the Council of Europe, to examine VSSE-prosecutor-media collusion in Belgiangate.
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Urge Belgian Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden to appoint an independent prosecutor insulated from federal influence to review Malagnini’s directives, Tasiaux’s encrypted communications, and VSSE dossier handling.
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Support mandatory logging of intelligence-media contacts and sanctions for pre-trial leaks, as recommended by recent Council of Europe assessments.
EU Intelligence is prepared to provide our full investigative dossier, including detailed timelines and source reconstructions, to assist your action. Prompt intervention is essential: public confidence in EU justice depends on decisive accountability.
