2023-11-02 16:36:00
To the point that the College of Prosecutors General (body which brings together the five prosecutors general of the country, namely the “bosses” of the prosecution of the King’s prosecutor) sent, on October 30, a “personal letter” to the new minister of Justice, Paul Van Tigchelt (Open VLD). This “personal” letter – and with a rather irritated tone – was also sent to all magistrates and members of the staff of the public prosecutor’s office and will be forwarded to the attorney general at the court of cassation and to the Superior Council of Justice.
Paul Van Tigchelt responded in a letter also dated October 30. A friendly, understanding letter but which also reminds justice personnel that they have important responsibilities.
La Libre has taken note, in detail, of this epistolary exchange, which demonstrates that the atmosphere is somewhat tense in the world of justice.
“Direct and unnuanced accusations”
In a three-page letter, the College of Attorneys General deplores the fact that, “during the press conference, the resigning Minister of Justice (Vincent Van Quickenborne, Editor’s note) emphatically emphasized that in the case ‘an individual error , a monumental error, an unacceptable error, an error with dramatic consequences was committed by an ‘individual magistrate’”.
The prosecutors general believe that, with these comments, Vincent Van Quickenborne “set the tone for what degenerated into incessant targeted attacks on a magistrate from the Brussels public prosecutor’s office whose photo and identity were even published”. According to them, “these ad hominem attacks were at no time mitigated, neither at the hearing (of Paul Van Tigchelt, Editor’s note) in Parliament on Wednesday October 25, 2023, nor in the press afterwards”, pointing to “accusations direct and without nuance against an individual member of the public prosecutor (which) aroused deep emotion among the magistrates and members of the staff”.
And to conclude: “Now that the controversy persists, notwithstanding your appreciated visit to the Brussels public prosecutor’s office this Thursday, October 26, and that the concern among magistrates and members of the staff of the public prosecutor’s office continues to take on increasingly significant proportions , the College considers it its duty to urge you to express your confidence in the public prosecutor as Minister of Justice”.
“Humility and introspection”
In his response, Minister Van Tigchelt recalled that he himself was a former magistrate, and that he understood the grievances expressed. In addition to a reminder of the human and financial support provided, the minister affirmed that he “fully supports each of them and I have total confidence in their work. It is important to support each other especially in difficult times.”
”But, adds the liberal, what happened requires a certain humility and calls for introspection. We must do better. Our employees must be better supported in their work, in particular through more accessible monitoring systems. This is the binding responsibility of superiors, the Council of King’s Prosecutors and the College of Prosecutors General, jointly with the Minister of Justice and his cabinet.”
A reaction from the minister “rapid, humane and firm”, like these three words dear to Team Justice.
However, we learn from good sources that the content of such a letter from the College of Attorneys General is surprising. And for good reason: one of these members, the prosecutor general of Brussels, Johan Delmulle, was present at the press conference during which Vincent Van Quickenborne reported the error of an “individual magistrate”.
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