Malta’s European Commissioner nominee Karmenu Vella has been earmarked as one of candidates expected to face the biggest hurdles to reach their jobs in Brussels.

All prospective commissioners named in Jean-Claude Juncker’s new Cabinet will have to face MEPs to establish their suitability for the job in less than three weeks’ time. 

Environmental groups, a very strong lobby in Brussels are angry at the fact that the environment has been merged with other portfolios. The choice of Mr Vella to head the sector continued to irk the environmental lobby due to his inexperience in the subject and Malta’s poor track record in the area.

Catherine Bearder – a British MEP and one of the most influential in the EP’s Environment Committee said in a tweet:  

“Malta’s EU environment commissioner can expect tough questions on action to prevent illegal shooting of birds,” she tweeted yesterday.

Describing Mr Vella as “short of experience”, the influential EU affairs daily, Europolitics said his lack of expertise in the subjects assigned to him may work against him. 

Corporate Europe Observatory, a research and campaign group based in Brussels, was more blunt, saying Mr Vella is “unsuitable” to be an EU commissioner.

In a dossier sent to all MEPs, Corporate Europe Observatory said: “It is inappropriate to nominate as European Commissioner a serving politician who has had such recent links to big business”.

Corporate Europe Observatory referred particularly to the positions recently occupied by Mr Vella on the boards of the international gambling firm Betfair and the Corinthia group. 

BirdLife 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.

World Wildlife Fund 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. 

FKNK President Joe Perici Calascione said he 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. 

More on Times of Malta.