Karmenu VellaKarmenu Vella

Malta’s nominee for the post of European commissioner, Karmenu Vella, is not facing any tough political opposition and should be cleared by the European Parliament on Monday, Times of Malta has learnt.

Sources close to the European Parliament said yesterday both the EPP and the Socialist groups, the two largest political blocs that together wield a majority in the parliamentary chamber, have informally agreed not to lay any obstacles for Mr Vella.

According to the sources, it is the Greens that are sceptical about Mr Vella’s nomination but they do not have sufficient numbers to imperil his nomination. They pointed out that the Greens’ main issue was not Mr Vella, as such, but, rather the decision of Commission president-elect, Jean-Claude Juncker, to put the environment in the same portfolio with fisheries and maritime affairs. For the Greens, this was a sign that the Commission wanted to give less importance to environmental issues.

“Karmenu Vella should have no major problems to get his Brussels job as long as he does not perform badly during the grilling,” a senior EP official said yesterday. “Although some MEPs have doubts on Mr Vella in relation to his lack of expertise on the portfolios he has been given and the Maltese government’s position on hunting and trapping he should be able to make it because he is not a target,” the official said.

The same optimism on Mr Vella’s good chances of passing the test was expressed by senior officials at the European Commission, the EU’s civil service.

“People working for president-elect Juncker’s team are not really worried about Mr Vella and as long as he sticks to his brief he will not have any opposition from the big hawks,” one official said. “However, if he fudges his answers, MEPs will sense weaknesses and he might be in for trouble even with his own political group [Socialists],” he added.

Not all the other nominees have the same good chances as Mr Vella.

According to EP sources, there are problems particularly with those nominated by the UK, Spain and Slovenia. “These are being targeted and one or two of them are really at risk,” an EP official said.

Mr Vella will on Monday be among the first to face MEPs. His hearing in front of the Environment and Fisheries Committees will take place on the first day of a week-long session in Brussels in which all 27 nominees will face a three-hour long grilling.

At the end of each session, the coordinators of the political groups in each committee will meet to discuss the hearing and to take a common stand on whether the commissioner-designate is worth recommending.

The conclusions are normally spelt out in a letter the committee then sends to the president of the European Parliament. In case of disagreement among the group coordinators – an eventuality that is highly unlikely – the letter will be discussed and, if needed, voted upon in another session of the committee.

Mr Vella has already started picking his team members.

Unlike his predecessors, the head of his private secretariat – known in Brussels jargon as chef de cabinet – is not expected to be Maltese. Sources said Patrick Costello, a British senior official at the EU’s external service (Foreign Office), was Mr Vella’s choice.

Apart from his long experience in Brussels, Mr Costello spent most of his career working for the Socialist group in the European Parliament and also served as adviser for Josep Borrell, a former Socialist EP president.

According to the sources, Mr Costello was recommended by EP president Martin Schultz, a Socialist MEP.

The deputy chief of staff is expected to be a Maltese official who used to form part of the Yes campaign prior to Malta joining the EU.

The Commission yesterday published Mr Vella’s “declaration of interests” in line with the commissioners’ code of conduct (see box).

Karmenu Vella – declaration of interests

Previous activities:

• Member and group coordinator of Labour’s Parliamentary Group

• Hon. President, Queen Victoria Band Club, Żurrieq

• Hon. President, Birżebbuġa Aquatic Sports Club

• Hon. President, Żurrieq Boċċi Club

• Chairman, Maltese Turkish Business Council

• Member, Vodafone Malta Foundation

Posts held in the last 10 years:

• Chairman, Orange Travel Group

• Non-executive director, Betfair Holding (Malta) Ltd/Betfair Poker Holdings Ltd/Betfair International Plc

• Executive chairman, Mediterranean Construction Company Ltd

• Executive chairman, Corinthia Hotels International.

Other professional activities held in last 10 years:

• Minister for Tourism

• Member of the Labour Party in charge of the electoral programme

• Shadow minister for finance

• Shadow minister for tourism

• Member of Parliament

Financial interests:

• 50 ‘A’ shares and 350 ‘B’ shares in Multi Joint Projects Co. Ltd – property development – Total value - €1.

Assets:

(except homes reserved for the exclusive use of the owner and/or his family)

• ¼ of a block of apartments in Qormi

• 1/6 of a block of apartments in Birkirkara

• ½ of a block of apartments in Żejtun

• 1/3 of a plot of land in Żurrieq

• Flat in Birżebbuġa

• Flat in St Paul’s Bay

• Plot of land at tal-Għargur l/o Żurrieq

• Plot of land at Taż-Żellieqat l/o Qrendi

• Plot of land l/o Ramla taż-Żejtun

Spouse’s/partner’s professional activity:

• 50 ‘A’ + 50 ‘B’ shares in Multi Joint Project Co. Ltd.

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