European Commission: Politically untenable for Dalli to stay
No evidence of illegality by Mr Dalli - commission spokesman
A spokesman for the European Commission said today that the whole question of John Dalli’s resignation was over for the commission. “It is past, it occurred on Tuesday,” the spokesman said.
He was replying to questions by journalists after Mr Dalli wrote to EU Commission President Jose' Manuel Barroso late yesterday saying there was no resignation since he had not sent any resignation letter. (See http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20121022/local/dalli-writes-to-barroso.442136 )
Olivier Bailly said Mr Dalli was asked to resign on the basis of a political assessment made by EU Commission President Jose' Manuel Barroso because his situation was ‘politically untenable’.
That assessment was made on the basis of the OLAF investigation report, which was 'partly' revealed on Wednesday.
Mr Barroso in line with his authority asked Mr Dalli to tender his resignation, and Mr Dalli resigned, the spokesman said. He told Mr Barroso that he would be resigning and then he said the same thing before the head of the legal service and the head of Mr Barroso's Cabinet. "The resignation was immediate".
A resignation letter was not obligatory.
Mr Bailly added that the Commission respected the presumption of innocence. There was no evidence of illegal behaviour by Mr Dalli since the legal aspect would be decided by the Attorney General in Malta.
However Mr Dalli’s presence on the European Commission was politically untenable on the basis of the report, particularly in view of the unofficial meetings held with the tobacco industry involving the Maltese intermediary without reason, the spokesman said.
That had cast a doubt on the integrity of the decision-making process and thus it was politically untenable for Mr Dalli to stay.
Mr Bailly said the resignation had immediate effect.
In line with rules Mr Dalli will receive an allowance so that he can move back to Malta and will also be paid transitional allowance for a three-year period until he finds another job or retires. This corresponds to 45 per cent of his old salary. His pension will be paid after the transition.
The spokesman said the Commission had not changed its commitment to present a new Tobacco Directive. The directive would be presented to the College of Commissioners by the new commissioner. The spokesman did not know when that would happen.
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Francis Farrugia
Oct 22nd 2012, 20:22
the more that is written and said, the more this story smells horrible. I said it before and say it again. There are top people in the EU who have their fingers in the pie. May be they wanted to fire Dalli because he was hard on this directive. One BIG QUESTION. Why must a spokesman for Barroso answer the journalists` questions and not Barroso himself??? Does he know more than Barroso himself???
Ms Rudi Mcbeal
Oct 22nd 2012, 19:15
@ John Caruana
An intelligent comment at long last!
The rest seem convinced to continue giving our poor country a bad name.
Ignorance is bliss.
R. Borg
Oct 22nd 2012, 18:32
I don't have any more trust with EU admistration : Mr Dalli was asked to resign on the basis of a political assessment made by EU Commission President Jose' Manuel Barroso - There was no evidence of illegal behaviour by Mr Dalli . If there is no evidence how come he is asked to resign. I smell this filty especialy if the Tabacco Directive is not pushed ahead right away.
John Caruana
Oct 22nd 2012, 19:39
Because it's not a question of being legal or not. To remain a Commissioner you must be completely above suspicion. Having private meetings with tobacco lobbyists organised by your chum who is not authorised to do so - because he is not registered - immediately creates an element of suspicion and therefore made his position untenable. Is that TOO DIFFICULT for you people to understand??
Mario Scicluna
Oct 23rd 2012, 07:51
@John Caruana
Yesterday, 19:39
And what if 'suspicion' is invented on you intentionally and by motive? Once the evil eye, or hand sets it's sight on you....
Mario Scicluna
Oct 22nd 2012, 17:39
Instead of a personal appearance by Barroso, so called 'spokesperson' are emerging. Where is Barroso? What is he hiding from? What does he REALLY know about all this John Dalli saga one might ask??? Of course the Commision wants this over and done with asap!
Politically untenable!? What about the shables of the bailouts and the fracass of the Euro by duo Barroso and Van Rompoy?
Paul Borg
Oct 22nd 2012, 17:02
This is shameful by the commission and you can understand why the politicians have dragged us all in the mess that Europe is in. Do I undertsand well that somebody who was thrown out becuase his position is not tenable will get 45% of the salary for three years and a pension to go with it? And then we other citizens have to put up with all the austerity measures. SHAME ON YOU
Geoffrey Farrugia
Oct 22nd 2012, 16:25
Whilst I am trying to understand the how's and why's of the Commission's rush decision, there is one thing here that does not make sense at all.
It seems John Dalli did not resign, thus to affirm its position the Commission had to dismiss him on the spot, something which it seems did not happen either. A resignation can only be immediate if made by the made resigning.
John Caruana
Oct 22nd 2012, 15:56
If anyone wants to encapsulate our little islander culture, our irrational conspiracy theories and our inability to understand what genuine democracry is all about, then all he or she needs to do is look at this thread. Is it possible that you simply don;t get it that if there is even a hint of suspicion in a Commission, then he or she has to go; irrespective of legalistic mumbo-jumbo
N Zahra
Oct 22nd 2012, 20:17
I so fully concur with you! I have been amazed by the total lack of basic understanding of ethical behavious by the population at large. It's quite frightening really.
Peter Murray
Oct 22nd 2012, 14:53
a resignation letter must be the only form of acceptable acknolwdgment to confirm one's resignation -as if it ain't written ergo it doesn't exist in the eyes of the law and to state that such a letter is not an obligatory necessity is absoloute nonsense.
Paul Zammit
Oct 22nd 2012, 14:35
Wowoowowow .... the EU are sooooo very transparent... they don't even wanna justify 'emselves. to call this "Disgusting attitude" would be playin it low key!
Edward Mallia
Oct 22nd 2012, 14:30
"Forced to resign on a political assessment by Barroso!" So the EU need not bother about the "circumstantial evidence" in OLAF report. Dalli will gain nothing by seeing it. Perfect Inquisition tactics, echoed locally by Caruana Galizia's public dictum on Dalli "Ma min rajtek (Silvio Zammit) xebbahtek". Would that apply to Dr. Gonzi too, pictured with Zammit before the Sliema Council elections?
Roderick Camilleri
Oct 22nd 2012, 14:25
Mr. Baird is stating that Mr. Dalli was asked to resign. Mr Barroso have said that Mr. Dalli resigned on his own. Do we have a lie on the record here? John Dalli have had hismelf thrown into a bigger game than he ever imagined.
Joseph Grech
Oct 22nd 2012, 14:20
"The directive would be presented to the College of Commissioners by the new commissioner. The spokesman did not know when that would happen." And there you have it - it should have been presented today...but it wont!
Will the new commissioner (Tonio Borg?) be able to credibly present the directive within just a few weeks...or will he do as Barroso & co expect, and take a couple of years?
Mary Ann Borg
Oct 22nd 2012, 14:10
Politically Untenable. Clear words. Dalli had offered his verbal resignation to a verbal request by Barroso. Had he not tendered his verbal resignation, he would have been fired on the spot. Useless using Qormi politics with the EU. His situation became untenable for the EU. And the EU happened to be his employer. If he goes back on his resignation word he will be fired.
Edward Mallia
Oct 22nd 2012, 14:54
Dalli getting fired will not make the EU action any less indecent. Dalli would show that he was more interested in the truth and in the legalities than in keeping his terminal benefits. The EU is acting like Enemalta; when it is caught on the wrong foot, it starts a "fact drip", revealing now this now that, at a rate designed to make the public looking at its last offering, forget the first.
C Muscat
Oct 22nd 2012, 14:05
However Mr Dalli’s presence on the European Commission was politically untenable ...
If I may ask 'politically untenable' because the tobacco business -SNUS- is more important than our health?
Maybe the jobs and the profits are so vital! Who knows?!
David Smith
Oct 22nd 2012, 14:01
Is trading in influence a crime under maltese legislation? If it were, and it were punishable by imprisonment, I wonder how many
ministers, past and present, would be in jail!
Joe A. Borg
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:58
GUILTY before proven by the courts!!
Is this the EU we hoped for?
Or does the end justify the means?
twanny borg
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:58
kif tista' istuttuzzjoni bhall eu taccetta li dalli ma hemm ebda evidenza ta' illegalita' u fl-istess nifs taghtih nofs siegha biex jirrezenja. jekk din mhux arrogranza ma nafx xi tkun.
Jay Oatmon
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:57
If you do something you are expressly forbidden to do then even though it may not be illegal you have overstepped the mark and cannot remain in your decision making role.
It's not rocket science - it is not a question of illegal or not, it is a question of trust, and if you do something your are not supposed to you're out.
Ethelbert Schembri
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:50
If that's the case Barroso should been home long long time ago !! but then again.. that is how these individuals look at democracy and the law; their way or no way !!
E. Azzopardi
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:50
There we are. It is over without giving him the chance to defend himself. Incredible!!
Cannot believe the EUROPE of today. There is no evidence of illegality but you still have to go.
In my opinion we shall hear much much more of this. This is big.
Joseph Fenech
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:39
What the heck does Prime Minister come into the Dalli Affair ? Mr. Dalli, although appointed by Prim Minister Gonzi, is first and foremost representing Malta as Commissioner and secondly he is SOLELY responsible for his actions. What I find disturbing and arrogant is the fact that Mr. Dalli never had the decency to inform HIS PRIME MINISTER ABOUT THE OLAF INVESTIGATION.
Michael Hudson
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:36
Part of the EU's face is slowly being revealed. Allowances, pensions ............so on, so forth. What if this man is really guilty, will he still enjoy these luxuries?
alfred seguna
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:28
I don't agree with this decision but that is EU democracy.They don't agree if guilty or not just move out because we don't want you.But may I ask why the salaries are so astronomical?23000 euros a month is unbelievable.Also the pension to be paid.Are all these incredible salaries paid from the taxes paid by the poor workers of the EU.Is the EU like France in the 1400 under Louis the 14th.
Eve Axiaq
Oct 22nd 2012, 14:11
You are right. I would like to question whether the European commission implemented budget cuts like the majority of European governments. The benefits of top European officials are astronomical as well. And these officials all contributed to the Eurozone fiasco, but they still received performance bonuses..of course.
Neil Dent
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:28
“It is past, it occurred on Tuesday,”
And many here are still labouring under the impression that the resignation was the beginning of the process, when in fact for OLAF and the Commission, it was in fact the end as far as Mr. Dalli is concerned.
They have now delegated to the Maltese authorities to deem whether or not any legal action should be taken. Very simple really.
A.Felex Busuttil
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:25
<Mr Bailly added that the Commission respected the presumption of innocence. There was no evidence of illegal behaviour by Mr Dalli since the legal aspect would be decided by the Attorney General in Malta.>
If ther is no evadance why our Goverment is not defending the case because it is John Dalli?
K. Vella
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:56
Because it will be premature, especially when the report is still with the Attorney General and as yet not made public....
paul camilleri
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:23
some one is laughing his head off at the expense of Comm Dalli, and my eyes are directed to the cigarette companies that had a lot to loose if Comm Dalli`s directive went through
william cauchi
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:18
''No evidence of illegality'', but still I am giving you the sack.
Would a simple washerwoman have accepted such an immediate sacking?
Would Barroso have acted the same and so fast had the Commissioner been French or German. Izzgur........holl xaghrek u gib iz-zejt.
A Galea
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:07
I think the crux of the matter lies in the penultimate paragraph. That's why Barroso pressured him into a decision within 30 minutes. If he was sacked, he would probably lose all his allowance. So Dalli decided it was safer to just resign
C Cassar
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:07
Surely he should lose all of his pension as he has been forced to resign. He should also receive no salary from the time of his resignation in line with the real world.
Charles Cremona
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:28
This is how the EU gravy train operates i'm afraid. That is why they always want more and more from the poor EU taxpayer.
Mr Evan Camilleri
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:06
Such a fiasco in handling the situation! I guess all the Barroso commission must resign over this! I do not know exactly what happened and do not wish to speculate.... but it is quite lucky for the tobacco industry that all this happened the week before new regulations were to be proposed ! Quite Lucky¬
Edward Mallia
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:37
Was there not once upon a time, a brand of cigarette called "Lucky Strike"? Pretty prophetc.
Tony Grech
Oct 22nd 2012, 12:58
This is totally unacceptable for the EU Comm Barroso to treat Mr. Dalli this way. Gonzi should defend him and stop being arrogant. One doubts whether Barroso and OLAF are in collusion with the cigarette industry to stop the directive because that is exactly what has happened. Corruption everywhere from top to bottom.
Joseph E Briffa
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:27
@Tony Grech....Funny how you arrived at this decision. The case is over, Dalli is out and the matter closed.. If the AG finds that there is enough evidence to charge Dalli with a criminal offence, he can then defend his case in the local courts.
Jay Oatmon
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:28
We don't know what the evidence is but it must be considerable for Dalli to be forced to resign.
Blaming those who sought to keep the EU clean is not a good idea - the EU is not Malta where strings can be pulled and matters swept under the carpet.
C Muscat
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:28
Totally in agreement weith you Mr Grech
jason gatt
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:59
@ Jay Oatmon " the EU is not Malta where strings can be pulled and matters swept under the carpet. "
LOL isn't what they did. :)
R. Balzan
Oct 22nd 2012, 12:53
Seems more like the acts of a despotic dictator in a third world country than the EU. I was always under the impression that the EU stood for fairness and justice. Apparently I was mistaken.
Malcolm Seychell
Oct 22nd 2012, 13:47
You are very wrong. I have been saying it for months. The new EU is just an old USSR
Philip Grech
Oct 22nd 2012, 14:13
Ikkonsla ghax mhux int biss imma hafna bhalek. JIEN LE!
C Muscat
Oct 22nd 2012, 12:52
He said the Commission had not changed its commitment to present a new Tobacco Directive. The directive would be presented to the College of Commissioners by the new commissioner. The spokesman did not know when that would happen......
But Up To Now; The Directive Is On The Shelf.
Please choose the reason of your report below: