Documentary series by Eric Goens about Sihame El Kaouakibi not to be seen before the summer: “I will not succumb to political pressure” | TV

More than a year after Eric Goens started it, there is still no trace of his documentary series about Sihame El Kaouakibi on the VRT channels. When it leaked in October that Goens was allowed to follow the discredited politician exclusively in the aftermath of the scandal, Open Vld chairman Egbert Lachaert was angry. “Incomprehensible that the public broadcaster is spending taxpayers’ money on someone who has deceived everyone,” he tweeted. Striking statement, because Sihame was once a promising member of parliament for his party. However, after accusations surfaced of tampering with her dance project Let’s Go Urban, the liberal party board kicked her out.

Those allegations arose in February 2021. Around that time Eric Goens, who we know from ‘Het Huis’ and ‘Bargoens’, started following her for a documentary series. According to various sources, the nervousness at Open Vld is great. There are even rumors that the public broadcaster wants to drop the subject, because it is ‘politically too sensitive’. “It doesn’t matter,” Eric Goens says in Dag All. “Do not believe in such machinations. I also have to disappoint anyone who thinks my documentary will become a political vehicle. I will not let anyone rush me.” The link with N-VA is sometimes made because Bart De Wever’s game would benefit from a further weakening of Open Vld as a result of the Sihamegate.

But what is the real reason why the series is not ready for broadcast yet? “I would like to go on air now”, says Goens. “But the problem is that the justice system in this country is very slow. Meanwhile, the investigation has been completed, but it is not yet clear what exactly El Kaouakibi is accused of. I’d like to know that before I finish this work. I want to show an evolution. Just giving an impression of the past few months would not be interesting because day 1 looks too much like day 71. The broadcast will certainly not be before the summer.” Goens points out that he often works on multi-year projects. “Suppose I bring it now and there is an indictment in three months that is much broader than anticipated, what have I made?”

Sihame’s lawyer, Mounir Souidi, had similar grievances. He also says that he does not know what his client is accused of and complained at the beginning of this year that he cannot view the file. It is no secret, however, that the judicial investigation concerns, among other things, subsidy fraud, abuse of trust and forgery. Earlier this year, El Kaouakibi was questioned by the Central Anti-Corruption Service. It is estimated that she would have skimmed 1 to 2.4 million euros.

Since the scandal broke out, El Kaouakibi has been sitting as an independent in the Flemish parliament. She is at home due to illness and has already submitted several long-term sick notes. For the time being, she will continue to earn her parliamentary salary of 6,000 euros. It would not fall back to 2,400 euros per month until the end of 2022. However, Eric Goens does not think that her illness is feigned. “Anyone in their thirties who sees everything collapse in a short time and perhaps forever, would become depressed for less,” he says.

Goens realizes that her tone is crucial in his series. Does she have insight into debt or not? “Call it a public confession,” he says. “The interviews I did with her are at times very humiliating. They are often hard but also sincere confrontations. It is obvious that something is going on in this case. She also doesn’t constantly shake her head when I throw the accusations at her. But it is equally clear that much nonsense has been told in the aftermath of this case. Whoever is wrong should be on the hook. But the public pillory of social media is disgusting.”

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