Former tourism minister Karmenu Vella. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

The next Maltese European commissioner, former tourism minister Karmenu Vella, is likely to be given the fisheries portfolio, according to unconfirmed sources in Brussels.

In 2004, Joe Borg, the first Maltese to sit on the European Commission, had also been assigned fisheries together with the more ‘Malta-relevant’ dossier: maritime affairs.

Efforts to reach Mr Vella yesterday proved unsuccessful by the time of writing.

Earlier this week, Times of Malta reported that pressure was being made for Malta to have a female nominee. However, the government has put its foot down and is insisting that Mr Vella is its preferred choice.

Officially, the government denies such pressure is being made.

Sources in Brussels said yesterday that if Mr Vella was confirmed as the new fisheries commissioner, Malta would have ended up with “an interesting portfolio” even though it was not considered as one of the most important in the EU’s hierarchy.

In the circumstances, Malta would still end up with a respectable portfolio

“In the circumstances, Malta would still end up with a respectable portfolio and got a better deal than Cyprus, which seems to have been assigned responsibility for the internet and culture,” the sources said.

As usually happens, the major portfolios have been assigned to the heavyweight member states.

Although, officially, the president designate of the Commission, Jean Claude Juncker, is expected to publish the list of proposed commissioners next week, it appears that Germany will be given trade, France will handle competition, Italy has already been assigned the foreign affairs portfolio and Poland will be responsible for budget and financial control.

Although, according to the EU treaties, member states can nominate a commissioner each, the individual members do not represent the interests of their countries in the commission but will only act in the interests of the EU executive.

Mr Vella, together with the rest of the nominees, will be grilled by MEPs before being given the green light or rejected. If a person is rejected, a new nomination will be made.