After the announcement that former prime minister Jean-Claude Juncker has to undergo an operation on Monday 11 November to treat his aneurysm, it was to be expected that the SREL secret service trial would be delayed.

Juncker is a key witness in the affair, so it stood to reason that his recovery and consequent absence would lead to the case not going ahead as expected.

The trial was due to start in two weeks' time, having been delayed from the initial date of November/December 2017.

According to RTL sources, the public prosecutor's office was informed of Juncker's operation on Thursday and has contacted all involved parties to announce that the trial will not be taking place as expected.