The Belgian Government started a formal investigation after the espionage scandal in mid-April, when it became known that German intelligence services spied on high-ranking EU officials and business companies, DWN reported.
The occasion for the investigation were the reports that the German foreign intelligence service has monitored European and Belgian Internet communications for many years. If the reports are confirmed, German Chancellor Angela Merkel will have to provide explanations, the newspaper wrote.
The Dutch government, in its own right, will examine the allegation that the BND tapped the Dutch data cable companies at request of the NSA, the country’s Interior Minister Roland Plasterk stated earlier.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been heavily criticized for failing to prevent her country’s involvement in mass surveillance by the US National Security Agency. In fact, Merkel's government was accused of co-operating with the NSA, a statement that shocked many in the country, according to reports.
