EU funds director is new ambassador to the EU

Marlene Bonnici, a career diplomat, has been appointed as Malta's permanent representative to the EU, after an Opposition motion supported by PN MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, and abstained upon by PN MP Jesmond Mugliett, ousted Richard Cachia Caruana.

Cachia Caruana had been serving as Malta's ambassador to the EU for the last eight years since Malta's accession to the European Union.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi congratulated Bonnici for her appointment. In a statement, the OPM said that Gonzi thanked Cachia Caruana "for his great contribution in the best interests of our country and wished the best of success to the new Permanent Representative".

The statement added that Cachia Caruana also congratulated Bonnici and thanked the staff at the Permanent Representation of Malta to the European Union and augured that they would continue working in Malta's best interests under the direction of the new Permanent Representative.

While thanking the Prime Minister, Bonnici expressed her appreciation for the work undertaken by Cachia Caruana. "Although his absence is a huge loss for Malta, she is fortunate to be able to continue building on all the good work done by him before her," the statement added.

Bonnici expressed her commitment to continue working so that Malta's European Union membership will continue being a success story for the people of Malta and Gozo.

Bonnici is a career diplomat.  She joined the public service in 1989 as a teacher, after she obtained a first class degree in education from the University of Malta. 

She then went on to win a scholarship to the University of Oxford where she undertook post-graduate studies in international politics, international trade and finance, international law and diplomatic studies.  She obtained a distinction in all subjects. 

In 1992 she joined Malta's Diplomatic Service and was posted as first secretary to the Maltese Embassy in Bonn, Germany, and subsequently to the Maltese Embassy in Brussels. 

In 1999 she returned to Malta and worked at the EU Directorate within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where she was primarily responsible for the co-ordination of the Malta position on a number of Acquis chapters as well as the pre-accession funding instruments and initiatives. 

Bonnici was appointed Director of the then newly-established Regional Policy Directorate within the Office of the Prime Minister in 2001 responsible for the planning and co-ordination of a number of EU and bilateral financial instruments.  She was also responsible for supporting the co-ordination process of the accession negotiations on regional policy. 

In 2004, the Directorate took on additional responsibilities and became the Managing Authority for Malta's Structural Funds as well as the National Co-Coordinator for a number of other financial instruments  which were opened for Malta's participation, by virtue of its EU membership. 

In the same year Bonnici was appointed Director General of the Planning and Priorities Co-Ordination Department as well as Head of the Managing Authority, a position she held for 7 years, from May 2004 to May 2011. 

During this period Bonnici participated in a number of EU fora as a national expert on Cohesion Policy.  She also supported the national structure responsible for the negotiations on the Multi-Financial Framework and programmed Malta's allocation under Cohesion Policy for two financial periods.

Following Government's decision to consolidate the EU funding structures, Bonnici was appointed Permanent Secretary within the Office of the Prime Minister with overall responsibility for EU Funds in Malta. 

Bonnici is married to Dr. Klaus-Dieter Frey and they have one daughter, Carla Maria Frey.