Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Leaks are endangering Qatargate cases, warns Belgian justice minister

Leaks are endangering Qatargate cases, warns Belgian justice minister

Defense lawyers are likely to seize on spilled info as a way to shoot holes in the Belgian prosecution’s case.

Belgian Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne is vowing to leave “no stone unturned” in the corruption probe rocking the EU, but warns that repeated leaking of information from the investigation is “dangerous” to securing justice.

Belgium is on the front line of the biggest investigation into EU corruption for almost a quarter of a century, amid allegations that Qatar and Morocco bought influence in the European Parliament. Since December 9, Belgian federal police conducted a series of at least 20 raids across homes and offices in Brussels, seizing mobile phones, computers and more than €1.5 million in cash.

Four suspects have been arrested on preliminary charges of “participation in a criminal organization, money laundering and corruption.” They include Eva Kaili, a Greek MEP ousted as European Parliament vice president after the case erupted, who will stay in jail for at least another month.

Some lawyers of the suspects are now criticizing the Belgian investigation, with at least one lawyer writing to the judiciary that “there was a huge problem of procedure” due to the leaks of key documents to media. Newspapers have indeed scooped juicy details on discoveries of cash stashes and confessions, which go well beyond official communications.

The problem for the Belgian investigators is that the defense can latch onto these leaks to blow procedural holes in the case, and argue that the entitlement to professional secrecy and the right to access sealed documents have been violated.


Upholding rule of law


Van Quickenborne, speaking in an interview with POLITICO, said the federal prosecutor’s office had opened a criminal investigation into such leaks to preserve faith in the judicial process.

“The defense can use that of course, because the presumption of innocence is another principle of our rule of law. It is not for the press to start condemning people in advance. That, of course, is sensitive — that is dangerous,” he said, speaking from a safe house where he is spending Christmas due to threats against him by crime groups such as drug gangs.

The Belgian justice minister was careful not to disclose details of the investigation, as that could hamper the case. He confirmed, however, that Belgian state security — working with several other European intelligence services — has been at the heart of the investigation, adding that the probe began as early as March 2021. He stressed, “Our Belgian judiciary is working very well with the Italian judiciary in this file.” Three of the four suspects facing preliminary charges are Italian.

For Van Quickenborne, the Belgian investigation shows how investment in the Belgian justice system, the Belgian intelligence services and the anti-corruption department within the Belgian police is now paying off. Hosting the European institutions, NATO and other international institutions comes with responsibilities, the Flemish politician emphasized. Belgium is not giving “criminals a free pass,” he noted, and the ongoing investigation “also sends a signal to those who want to go down the same path in the future.”

“Belgian state security works not only in the fight against terrorism and extremism, but also in the fight against espionage and foreign interference,” he said. “We primarily target countries that seek to destabilize our society,” he continued, pointing to Russia, China and “rogue states” as countries clearly on the radar of the Belgian intelligence service.

He also made reference to his own Christmas under guard. “The situation I am currently in also proves that organized crime is trying to interfere — through intimidation and violence — in our society. We have also asked state security to work very specifically on that, to look at the possible problem of corruption in our system […] to look at the influence of decisions and decision-making bodies.”

Belgian Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne


On the point of checks and balances, Belgium hopes to cooperate with the European Parliament to an even greater extent in the future, he said, arguing that more can be done.

“It’s up to the European Parliament to organize better control mechanisms with regard to members of the European Parliament and also to organize more transparency in its decision-making process. The Belgian judiciary would happily work even closer together with the European Parliament.”

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
×