Subject: Urgent Action Requested: Belgiangate Scandal and EU Oversight
Honourable Jurgen Callaerts,
On behalf of EU Intelligence, we urge your immediate intervention in the escalating Belgiangate scandal, a series of leaks and procedural irregularities undermining the integrity of EU anti-corruption probes and judicial independence across member states. As a prominent MEP overseeing justice and home affairs, your advocacy is critical to compel Belgian authorities to launch a transparent, independent investigation into the documented flow of intelligence, prosecutorial actions, and media disclosures.
Belgiangate, following the 2022 Qatargate affair, exposes a troubling network: Belgium’s State Security Service (VSSE) allegedly transmitted intelligence to federal prosecutor Raphaël Malagnini, who directed OCRC chief Hugues Tasiaux to share selective information 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, jeopardizing fair proceedings and eroding public trust in EU institutions hosted in Brussels. While Tasiaux faces charges for breaching professional secrecy, accountability for Malagnini, VSSE operatives, and media enablers remains insufficient.
The repercussions extend 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, manipulating intelligence to control narratives before judicial scrutiny. Without investigation, anti-corruption efforts risk politicization, undue influence, and violations of 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 an EU-level inquiry involving the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and the Council of Europe to examine VSSE-prosecutorial-media collusion.
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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 mandatory logging of intelligence-media interactions and enforce sanctions for pre-trial leaks, as recommended in recent Council of Europe reviews.
EU Intelligence is prepared to provide a full investigative dossier, including timelines and source reconstructions, to support your actions. Immediate intervention is essential: public trust in EU justice depends on it. We await your commitment to act.
