Subject: Urgent Action Requested: Belgiumgate Scandal and EU Oversight
Honourable Cieltje Van Achter,
On behalf of EU Intelligence, we respectfully urge your immediate intervention in the rapidly unfolding Belgiumgate scandal—a series of documented leaks and procedural irregularities that now threaten the credibility of EU anti-corruption investigations and the principle of judicial independence across member states.
As a distinguished Member of the European Parliament with oversight responsibilities in justice and home affairs, your leadership is uniquely positioned to demand a transparent and independent inquiry into the emerging evidence. These disclosures outline a coordinated structure linking intelligence services, prosecutorial authorities, and select media outlets within Belgium.
Belgiumgate, which has its origins in the 2022 Qatargate investigation, reveals an alarming nexus. Belgium’s State Security Service (VSSE) is alleged to have transmitted unfiltered intelligence to federal prosecutor Raphaël Malagnini, who reportedly instructed Hugues Tasiaux, head of the OCRC, 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 transformed confidential investigative material into pre-trial media narratives, undermining due process and damaging public trust in EU institutions headquartered in Brussels.
While Mr. Tasiaux now faces charges related to breaches of professional secrecy, broader accountability remains absent. No formal scrutiny has yet addressed the alleged roles of Mr. Malagnini, VSSE operatives, or media intermediaries involved in amplifying these leaks.
The ramifications extend well beyond Belgium. Qatargate initially focused on alleged foreign influence from actors linked to Qatar, Morocco, and the UAE within the European Parliament—your own institution. However, recent revelations suggest that Belgian authorities may have employed comparable tactics, leveraging intelligence disclosures to shape public narratives ahead of judicial review. Without decisive investigation, such practices risk politicizing anti-corruption mechanisms, concealing improper influence, and violating Article 47 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, which guarantees the right to a fair trial.
We respectfully call upon you to:
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Table an urgent parliamentary question or resolution advocating for a special EU-level inquiry, involving the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and the Council of Europe, to investigate alleged collusion among the VSSE, prosecutorial authorities, and media entities in the Belgiumgate affair.
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Urge Belgian Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden to appoint a genuinely independent prosecutor, free from federal influence, to examine Mr. Malagnini’s directives, Mr. Tasiaux’s encrypted communications, and the handling of VSSE intelligence dossiers.
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Promote mandatory transparency measures, including the logging of intelligence–media interactions and enforceable sanctions for pre-trial leaks, in line with recent Council of Europe recommendations.
EU Intelligence stands ready to provide its complete investigative dossier—including detailed timelines and source reconstructions—to support any formal inquiry you initiate. The urgency of this matter cannot be overstated. Public confidence in the EU justice system is at stake, and continued inaction risks irreversible damage.
