Maltese official appointed Commission spokesman

Fabio Pirotta is about to become the first Maltese funtionnaire in Brussels to occupy the post of official spokesman for the European Commission.

The 34-year-old Malta-EU Information office former research officer will tomorrow start his new role as the Commission's spokesman for transport, working directly with new Italian Commissioner Antonio Tajani.

Every Commissioner has a spokesman. The posts are considered to be among the most sensitive in the EU administration as they represent 'the face' of the Commission.

Their role is to give press conferences on a daily basis attended by hundreds of Brussels-based journalists accredited to the EU institutions and also to speak in the Commission's name. When contacted, Mr Pirotta said he was looking forward to taking up the post though admitted it may be tough.

"This is a challenging post within the European Commission. I will do my utmost to deliver to the best of my capabilities, drawing on the experience I have acquired both through my work in Malta as well as at the European Commission."

Prior to joining the European Commission three years ago, Mr Pirotta held various other posts in Malta including as policy officer in the private secretariat of former Foreign Minister Joe Borg and also as second secretary at Malta's embassy in Dublin.

One of his former bosses, Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil, said he was delighted with the appointment. "Not only does this show Mr Tajani's friendship towards Malta, but it places, for the first time, a Maltese official in such a sensitive position. Having worked with Fabio (Pirotta) at the Malta-EU Information Centre, I know that he will give this job his best shot and will do us proud."

Mr Tajani, a former spokesman for Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, will replace Franco Frattini who decided to return to Italian politics as Foreign Affairs Minister in Mr Berlusconi's fourth government.

Mr Tajani will, however, not take Mr Frattini's former job as Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs as Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has already decided to assign this important portfolio to French Commissioner Jacques Barrot.

Instead, Mr Tajani, following his approval by the EU Council and the European Parliament, will take up Mr Barrot's current responsibilities as Transport Commissioner.