Karmenu Vella’s nomination as European Commissioner-designate for the Environment, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs has raised a few eyebrows, not least because of the island’s contentious hunting practices. Ivan Martin spoke to anumber of the wary stakeholders.
Birdlife Europe
Regional director Angelo Caserta said Mr Vella’s nomination, along with other green portfolios, raised grave concerns of a possible downgrading of the environment in terms of legislation and policy.
Describing his fears of a possible “roll back of EU green commitments”, Mr Casserta highlighted Mr Vella’s portfolio as among his major concerns.
“The mandate to the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner seems entirely centered on deregulation... It does not mention the need to achieve any EU objectives, let alone take new initiatives,” he said.
Mr Casserta was one of 10 environmental NGO leaders who wrote an open letter to Commission president-designate Jean Claude Juncker yesterday expressing dismay at the proposed new Commission structure.
Birdlife Malta
Executive director Steve Micklewright said he was concerned and confused by the nomination.
Questioning where Mr Vella’s loyalties would lie on the hunting issue, he expressed hope his ties with the government would not factor into his decisions in Brussels.
“He’s formed part of a government that repeatedly appeased the hunting lobby. I hope he doesn’t let that influence his position.”
Mr Micklewright also raised concerns over Mr Vella’s environmental track record, saying he had no idea what Mr Vella knew about the various environmental challenges facing Europe.
Geoffrey Saliba, the NGO’s president, congratulated Mr Vella on the appointment but warned of the tough road ahead.
“He will have the difficult job of ensuring that wildlife recovers by ensuring existing EU rules are respected and strengthened,” he said, adding he hoped Mr Vella would remove any hunting derogations currently in force in Malta.
World Wildlife Fund, WWF
European policy director Tony Lang would not comment on Mr Vella’s nomination directly but raised concerns over the decision to tie the environment to two other areas of responsibility.
“For the first time in 25 years, the environment will not have its own designated commissioner,” he said.
“This comes precisely at a time when environmental problems are looming larger on the political agenda.”
He also voiced concerns over Mr Juncker’s call for a review of the current EC hunting regulations, saying he would be keeping a close eye on the matter.
Mr Juncker has recently expressed his desire for the birds and habitat directives to be merged. The directives aim to protect the environment.
Mr Lang said a review of the directives had been on the cards for some time.The merger, however, seemed to go a step further than what had originally been announced.
This, he said, posed the danger of potentially opening up a Pandora’s Box of protected and unprotected species.
“There will be a politically charged debate surrounding this. I hope the best interests of the vulnerable wildlife will be in the forefront of any decisions taken,” he said.
Committee Against Bird Slaughter
Spokesman Axel Hirschfeld said the nomination came as a “big surprise”.
He wished Mr Vella strength to deal with the monumental task of protecting the environment.
“He’s going to need it, especially if he is to ensure that the Birds Directive is not breached and that illegal hunting is stopped,” he said, adding that Malta’s hunting practices would be a major concern for any environment commissioner.
Mr Hirschfield said the fact the Mr Vella was Maltese could also be viewed as an advantage because he was not so far removed from the political reality of hunting.
However, he cautioned against continuing to toe the government’s line when in Brussels. “If he becomes commissioner, his job will not be to work for his party friends anymore,” he said.
Greenpeace EU
The organisation said it was open to the possibility of working with Mr Vella.
“We shall see. It could be problematic but it could also work. It’s too early at this stage to tell,” a spokesman said, adding that the lobby would be in a better position to assess Mr Vella during the European Parliament scrutiny at the end of this month.
He did not rule out the possibility of Mr Vella not making it to the Commission.
“If he can’t stand up to the heavy scrutiny of his peers, then Mr Juncker will have to reconsider his team,” the spokesman said.
Hunters Federation, FKNK
President Joe Perici Calascione believes Mr Vella would be able to give the “correct” interpretation of the hunting directives, which would allow local hunting practices to continue.
“If [Mr Vella] thinks that someone is right, then I believe he will defend them,” he said.
Mr Perici Calascione denied that Mr Vella would be on the hunting lobby’s side when it came to enforcing regulations and said he would not be able to treat Malta any differently to other member states.
“He will be under intense scrutiny and a lot of pressure. Transparency is essential,” he said.
Despite the pressure attached to the post, Mr Perici Calascione said Mr Vella was “not the sort of guy to stick his head in the sand and ignore problems”.