Belgian spokespeople suspected of breaching professional secrecy
An investigation into the failed i-Police project now also reaches the office of Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden.
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Two Belgian spokespeople have been placed under suspicion of a suspected breach of professional secrecy in the case surrounding i-Police. According to Belgian media, they are a spokesperson for Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden and a Dutch-language spokesperson for the Brussels public prosecutor’s office.
According to Belgian media, a Brussels investigating judge has placed both employees under suspicion. Verlinden’s employee is said to have tried to obtain confidential information about the investigation into i-Police. The public prosecutor’s spokesperson has also been linked to passing on information.
The precise content of the information exchanged has not been made public. Nor has it been established that the information reached Verlinden herself. The Belgian minister says she is unaware of any indications that her spokesperson acted outside the legal boundaries.
The investigation concerns i-Police, a large-scale digitalisation project for the Belgian police. The project was halted after, according to Belgian reports, tens of millions of euros had been spent without the intended system becoming operational.
The case is therefore both a criminal and an administrative matter. The suspicion against the spokespeople says nothing yet about their guilt; a judge must ultimately rule on that. The Belgian authorities have not yet officially confirmed every aspect of the reports.
The issue is relevant to the Netherlands because it shows how problems with public-sector IT can affect oversight, procurement and political responsibility. The investigation into the alleged information leaks is separate from the question of who will ultimately be liable for the failed project.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Two spokespeople have been placed under suspicion.
- The investigation concerns a suspected breach of professional secrecy.
- The minister denies having known about any unlawful conduct.
Left
Arguments The case underlines that public-sector projects must be transparent and subject to democratic scrutiny, particularly when public funds and police data are involved.
Values Transparency, protection of whistleblowers and strong public oversight.
Consequences Without robust oversight, failed IT projects and information leaks could further undermine trust in government.
Centre
Arguments The investigation must take its course without anticipating political conclusions. At the same time, an independent evaluation of the procurement process and administrative responsibility is needed.
Values The rule of law, due care and institutional continuity.
Consequences A factual reconstruction could clarify which rules were breached and which procedures need to be improved.
Right
Arguments From this perspective, the case shows that public organisations have insufficiently robust information security and internal discipline.
Values Authority, responsibility and efficient government.
Consequences Heavier sanctions and stricter access rules may be necessary, even if that makes cooperation between politicians and civil servants more formal.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article’s core claims are confirmed by multiple Belgian sources. Unconfirmed aspects are explicitly presented as uncertain.
- confirmed Two spokespeople have been placed under suspicion of a suspected breach of professional secrecy. — Reported by BRUZZ, 21 News and BX1. source
- confirmed The case is connected to the failed i-Police project. — The same sources link it to the police project. source
- confirmed It has not been established that the information reached Verlinden herself. — BRUZZ reports that this is unclear. source
Editor's note
The suspicions and the roles involved have been reported by multiple Belgian sources. The content of the information exchange and any involvement by the minister herself have not been established.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- De Telegraaf — „belgië i-police”
- AD — „belgië i-police”
- de Volkskrant — „belgië i-police”