Joe Borg slams PM's handling of Commissioner nomination

Joe Borg has criticised the Prime Minister's handling of the European Commissioner nomination, saying he only learnt of the decision after his wife watched the evening news on television last Monday.

The government ended months of speculation last week when it announced in a statement that Malta's next Commissioner would be Social Policy Minister John Dalli, who has since been given the Health and Consumer Affairs portfolio.

While congratulating Mr Dalli on his appointment, Dr Borg told The Sunday Times in an interview: "I have to say that the manner in which the decision was taken and, even worse, how it was sought to be justified afterwards, continues to baffle me."

The Fisheries Commissioner said the very least he had expected was an unequivocal reply that he was not being considered for the post, rather than being led to believe that he was in the frame by the Prime Minister.

Seemingly contradicting Lawrence Gonzi's statement that the only people in the frame for the post were Mr Dalli, Malta's Permanent Representative to the EU Richard Cachia Caruana and former Foreign Minister Michael Frendo, Dr Borg said: "A couple of months ago I was informed that only two possible scenarios were being considered - one was the nomination of a Cabinet minister and the other was my re-nomination. If in the last days and weeks the situation had changed I certainly was not informed."

However, the Fisheries Commissioner said he realised the Prime Minister had offered the post to Mr Dalli when he was informed the Social Policy Minister was in Brussels for a meeting with Commission President José Manuel Barroso on November 17.

Dr Borg, a respected figure who played a crucial role in Malta's EU membership bid, also criticised the Prime Minister for taking advice on the Commissioner nomination from those who were either "contenders for the post, or were aspiring to another similar post".

In a thinly veiled broadside, the Fisheries Commissioner said he had proved himself in the job by working hard through the power of conviction and not by "throwing tantrums" and "banging" his feet. "Hysteria and posturing don't work" in the Commission, he added.

When asked whether he believed the Prime Minister had the Nationalist Party in mind when opting for Mr Dalli, Dr Borg said: "I prefer not to comment - everybody can form a judgment about this decision for themselves."

Dr Borg, 57, said he was unlikely to be proposed by the government for another EU job - if a vacancy existed, there would be several others who would aspire to the post. "Let's face it, the chances of such offers coming my way will certainly not increase and multiply."

Throughout his career Dr Borg has always steered clear of controversy, even though he held the delicate post of Foreign Minister in the run-up to EU membership. The Labour Party had even backed his re-appointment as EU Commissioner.

Dr Borg was also keen to refute suggestions he had not fought for his home country during his five-year term as Fisheries Commissioner.

"It is thanks to a lot of hard work at my level and at my staff's level that many of the proposals that are agreed by the Commission took into account Maltese sensitivities."