Eddie Fenech Adami says MEPs' demands are ‘not on’

Former President and PN leader Eddie Fenech Adami said that he would not make the public declaration being demanded from EU commissioner-designate Tonio Borg by MEPs.

However, earlier on Monday, Borg sent a letter to MEPs in which he committed himself to fight discrimination in all its forms and abide by the principle of Article 21 of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, Article 19 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, and EU anti-discrimination and case law as fulfillment of his pledge to fight any sort of discrimination, after he was accused of having made homophobic statements in the past.

In his letter, the designate-commissioner also said that he will "actively support EU policies with regard to women's rights."

Borg was asked to make seven pledges by MEPs from the environment and public health affairs committee, who could not agree on the approval of Borg, following his grilling last week.

ENVI committee chair Matthias Groote said that Borg will have to deliver a public "unambiguous and full commitment" to seven separate pledges - such as treating all EU citizens equally and actively supporting EU policies on women's rights - if he is to be endorsed by a majority of the European Parliament.

Fenech Adami told General Workers Union news portal inewsmalta that if would be in Borg's place he would refuse to cave in to such pressures.

"He [Borg] knows what the circumstances are. If I was in his place, I would not sign. However I respect whatever decision Dr Borg will take. He knows what the contingencies are. However, for me its not on."

Fenech Adami also lambasted the criticism levelled at Borg's values and beliefs. "While everybody was full of praise for Borg's performance [during the hearing], the criticism on Borg's beliefs goes against the European Union's principles," Fenech Adami said as he warned that the EU's true values are being lost.

Fenech Adami was not alone in saying that Borg should not give in to such demands. Jeffery Pullicino Orlando, formerly a Nationalist MP, said the demands are "humiliating" and added that a demand for Borg to commit himself to "actively support EU policies on women's rights" will mean he will have to support sexual health and reproductive rights that will include access to safe and legal abortions.

Pullicino Orlando also said Borg was being asked to "effectively support abortion" by signing up to the pledge: "If I were Tonio Borg I would find a problem in making such a pledge, as the words 'actively supporting' also point towards supporting abortion. Abortion is recognised as a woman's right in the European Union."