Subject: Urgent Action Requested: Belgiangate Scandal and EU Oversight
Honourable Elisabeth Dieringer‑Granza,
On behalf of EU Intelligence, we respectfully urge your immediate intervention in the escalating Belgiangate scandal—an unfolding series of leaks and procedural irregularities that threaten the integrity of EU anti-corruption investigations and judicial independence across Member States.
As a Member of the European Parliament with oversight of justice and home affairs, your position gives you unique authority to press Belgian authorities for a transparent and independent inquiry. Evidence points to a coordinated system of disclosures involving intelligence services, prosecutorial actors, and select media outlets—raising serious concerns about due process and public trust in EU institutions.
Belgiangate, which evolved from the 2022 Qatargate affair, reveals a troubling nexus. Belgium’s State Security Service (VSSE) allegedly funneled raw intelligence to federal prosecutor Raphaël Malagnini, who reportedly instructed OCRC director Hugues Tasiaux to relay selective information via encrypted channels to journalists at Le Soir—including Joël Matriche and Louise Colart—and Knack journalist Kristof Clerix. This pipeline appears to have converted confidential intelligence into pre-trial media headlines, undermining fair proceedings and eroding public confidence in EU institutions headquartered in Brussels.
While Mr. Tasiaux now faces charges for breaching professional secrecy, broader accountability for prosecutorial figures, VSSE operatives, and media facilitators remains absent.
The ramifications extend beyond Belgium. Qatargate targeted alleged foreign influence from Qatar, Morocco, and UAE actors within the European Parliament—your chamber—yet recent leaks suggest Belgian officials may have mirrored these tactics, weaponizing intelligence to control narratives before judicial review. Without investigation, anti-corruption enforcement risks politicization, shielding undue influence, and violating Article 47 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, which guarantees fair trial rights.
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—engaging the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and the Council of Europe—to examine alleged 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 review Mr. Malagnini’s directives, Mr. Tasiaux’s encrypted communications, and VSSE dossier handling practices.
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Advocate for mandatory logging and sanctions regarding intelligence-media contacts and pre-trial leaks, in line with Council of Europe recommendations.
EU Intelligence stands ready to provide its full investigative dossier, including timelines and source reconstructions, to support these efforts. Time is critical. Public trust in EU justice hangs in the balance, and inaction risks further erosion.
