Labour’s Karmenu Vella, known as ‘Il-Guy’. Photo: Jason Borg

Labour stalwart Karmenu Vella, known to supporters as ‘Il-Guy’, yesterday vouched to keep in touch with his constituents, telling them that although “Żurrieq might have lost a minister it gained a European commissioner”.

Addressing a political activity in his hometown, Mr Vella downplayed claims that his nomination to succeed Tonio Borg as European commissioner had fuelled discontent among his supporters.

The veteran politician was also keen to stress that his new role in Brussels would not mean he would have to severe his links with the constituents of the fifth district where he has been contesting on the Labour ticket since 1976.

“Be it in Żurrieq, Valletta or Brussels I will remain the same Karmenu Vella, your ‘guy’” he said.

Though the clock is ticking for Mr Vella’s 38-year parliamentary career, the tone of his speech did not suggest he would take a mellow approach in the final months of his political life.

The outgoing tourism minister said a year after suffering a historic defeat at the polls, the Nationalist Party had not learnt its lesson.

Be it in Żurrieq, Valletta or Brussels, I will remain the same Karmenu Vella, your ‘guy’

He said the Opposition could not offer a credible alternative as “the same people who were bad back then, are still bad today”.

Mr Vella said the PN’s claim to want to safeguard the south of the island was only spurned by its ambition to gain the ground it lost in the general election in which the Labour Party won two thirds of the votes in the region.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who spoke after Mr Vella, said the initial reaction to his decision to nominate Mr Vella for European commissioner was similar to the one after Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca’s nomination for President.

He insisted that, as in Ms Coleiro Preca’s case, his decision on Mr Vella would prove to be the right one.

Dr Muscat said Mr Vella was a proactive person whose qualities would make him an ideal candidate to serve on the EU’s executive body.

He pointed out that, throughout his career, Mr Vella was a person who had worked both with big business and ordinary members of the public.

He could understand both big multinationals and small communities. Few in Malta had these characteristics, Dr Muscat said.