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Labour MP speculates over ‘possible hidden hand’ behind Borg’s ‘excessive scrutiny’
Former Labour minister George Vella ‘worried’ that the ‘hidden hand behind John Dalli’s resignation could have had interest in holding back Tonio Borg’s appointment’.
21 November 2012, 12:00am
Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli
2 min read
Labour MP George Vella.
Labour MP and shadow foreign minister George Vella told the House on Wednesday evening that he suspected that "whoever was behind John Dalli's resignation" could have had an interest in seeing Tonio Borg's appointment delayed.
Vella, whose Labour party supported the nomination of Borg to Commissioner despite the general opposition of most socialist MEPs inside the European Parliament, said that Tonio Borg should not have had to endure the pressure he faced.
Borg surivived a tough grilling from MEPs and had to commit himself publicly to anti-discrimination pledge, after his conservative views on gay rights and opposition to abortion were flagged by MEPs as being untenable for the role of a health commissioner.
"I cannot understand why... I fear that the hidden hand of whoever was behind John Dalli's resignation could have had the interest of holding back the quick appointment of a new commissioner. It was clear that the first obligations of a new commissioner would have been pushing forward the Tobacco Directive," Vella said, referring to the 16 October resignation of Dalli, whose Tobacco Products Directive was put on ice pending the appointment of a new commissioner.
On John Dalli's resignation as the commissioner for health and consumer affairs - Borg's new post - Vella said the way he was made to resign had been "unfair and undemocratic".
"The way he was made to resign cast was unfair and has now cast a shadow... a shadow which our country is still carrying. I fail to understand how one person [Borg] has to undergo such scrutiny before he is appointed, but another one is so easily asked to resign without explaining why.
"I'm not saying whether there was a reason for Dalli to resign. All I'm saying is that this silence is unacceptable, forcing people to come up with their own conclusions," Vella said.
Vella went on to say that the Labour Party had supported Borg's nomination from the very start, despite the PL eralier in the afternoon reiterating that it thought Borg's nomination could be "problematic" for Malta.
"But I must criticise the way he was treated. No other commissioner passed through what Borg had to face. I fail to understand because his performance during the hearing had been excellent."
Vella said the committee's request to Borg to provide further clarifications following the hearing was "pushing it to the limit".
"I expected them to question him about more issues related to his portfolio. But they harped on the rights of homosexual persons and abortion despite Borg having already given a clear answer," Vella said, while adding that the Labour Party was itself against abortion.
"What I saw out there is that Europe is not so tolerant."
Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...
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george orwell 1984 in the making the new law and order in the making . we do not see any more church spires as our centrifugal points where society refers to . instead we have institutional temples dominating our lives and thoughts. seems that the majority are in for such a way of life , guess these eras comes in cycles?
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Whilst I congratulate Dr Tonio Borg on his newly deserved appointment after his excellent performance during the grilling by MEP's, I have also to single out my disappointment of both poplitical parties, espeially the party in Government, for the way they treated Mr Dalli. Mr Dalli is facing a serious allegation which up to now is still being hushed up from the general public. The way that both political parties have treated Mr Dalli, especially the party in government, leaves much to be desired. It seems that the PM was more than happy to see this dark cloud over Mr Dalli, whom he consider as an enemy, and instead of trying to see what had actually happened and inform us with the details, which we have a right to know, he hurriedly appointed the Hon Dr T Borg to the chair. I can understand why the PL has backed this nomination and this for very obvious reasons now that the election is round the corner, but it is also very deplorable that nobody is grilling the way Mr Dalli was dismissied and humiliated. Isn't he a Maltese citizen ? It is us the silent majority that actually is behing Mr Dalli, obviously together with his family. Although I do not see the same political beliefs of Mr Dalli, I pity him and really would like to help him in any way whatsoever because I feel that he has been mistreated and literally dumped out of the arena like a cigeratte but !
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Governments who are deluded by religious mythology, will always keep their country retarded. There are MANY cases around the world that prove the point.
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Maltese politicians live in this little cocoon of an island, and think that the rest of the world is like Malta. Even PL politicians come across as confessional compared to the standard European Christian Democrat. Secularism is poorly understood in Malta because it is a question of maturity levels which we still have to go through in time. Tonio Borg, like more than half Maltese MPs, has exactly the same philosophy and mentality as the Italian MP Buttiglione, who had got grilled and got voted out. While these Catholic bible bashing MPs are still a majority in Malta, in Europe they are minority, and fortunately a dying breed.
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i totally agree with dr vella. furthermore it is to be noted that most of the swedish meps have severly critisised dr borg. those who opposed the tobacco legislation prepared by dalli has worked against dalli and borg. but dr vella i was disappointed by the fact that the government and opposition had done nothing to investigate furthermore this fact.
