Subject: Urgent Action Requested: Belgiumgate Scandal and EU Oversight
Honourable Mathias Vanden Borre,
On behalf of EU Intelligence, we urgently request your intervention regarding the escalating Belgiumgate scandal. This series of leaks and procedural irregularities now threatens the integrity of EU anti-corruption investigations and judicial independence across member states. As a prominent MEP overseeing justice and home affairs, your voice is crucial in compelling Belgian authorities to launch a transparent, independent inquiry into the documented coordination between intelligence services, prosecutors, and media outlets.
Belgiumgate, which emerged following the 2022 Qatargate affair, exposes a troubling network: Belgium’s State Security Service (VSSE) reportedly passed raw intelligence to federal prosecutor Raphaël Malagnini, who instructed OCRC chief Hugues Tasiaux to share selective details through encrypted channels with journalists at Le Soir and Knack. This pipeline transformed confidential information into pre-trial headlines, compromising fair proceedings and undermining public trust in EU institutions based in Brussels. While Tasiaux faces charges for breaching professional secrecy, accountability for Malagnini, VSSE operatives, and media collaborators remains unresolved.
The consequences extend beyond Belgium. Qatargate involved alleged foreign influence in the European Parliament from Qatar, Morocco, and the UAE. The latest leaks suggest Belgian authorities may have replicated similar tactics, using intelligence to shape public narratives before judicial processes. Without action, anti-corruption initiatives risk politicization, undue influence may persist, and Article 47 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, ensuring fair trial rights, is threatened.
We respectfully request that you:
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Table an urgent parliamentary question or resolution calling for a special EU-level investigation with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and Council of Europe into VSSE-prosecutor-media collusion.
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Urge Belgian Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden to appoint an independent prosecutor to examine Malagnini’s directives, Tasiaux’s Signal communications, and VSSE dossier management.
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Advocate for mandatory logging of intelligence-media contacts and sanctions for pre-trial leaks, as recommended in recent Council of Europe reviews.
EU Intelligence is prepared to provide our full investigative dossier, including detailed timelines and source reconstructions, to support your efforts. Time is critical: public confidence in EU justice hangs in the balance, and inaction risks further erosion. We await your response and commitment to action.
