Looks like somebody's put a gun to his head – too bad he's as graceless as can be expected

Published: March 6, 2011 at 7:05pm

PRESS RELEASE
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
SUNDAY, 6 MARCH

(CONSUMER POLICY AND HEALTH)

STATEMENT BY COMMISSIONER DALLI REGARDING HIS REMARKS ON LYBIA

“I regret if any of the remarks I made on Friday have conveyed the false impression that I do not support the position communicated by President Barroso on the situation in Libya on Wednesday 2 March.

Some of my remarks were interpreted out of context and considered to be in contradiction with the President’s statements. I am of course fully behind the position expressed by the President on behalf of the Commission.

The main point I was making regarding Mr Ghaddafi in my personal remarks, strongly condemning any violence, was that Mr Ghaddafi must follow the will of his people. I also expressed the view that democratic governance is the fountain from which everything else will flow: Human rights, free elections, freedom of speech”.
————-

Unbelievable. The man is so far up his own backside (and such a peasant, for heaven’s sake) that he is INCAPABLE of doing the dignified thing and saying “I’m sorry. I was wrong. I very much regret what I said. I very much regret thinking it. I apologise to all those who were hurt by my ill-considered remarks.”

No. What he says he regrets is that his remarks created a FALSE IMPRESSION and that they were INTERPRETED OUT OF CONTEXT and CONSIDERED TO CONTRADICT his boss’s.

His remarks were “personal” – because you know, there are two John Dallis: the businessman from John Dalli & Associates, who was presumably the one speaking at the business breakfast in question, and the EU commissioner, who wasn’t there but who sent his alter ego the businessman instead.

Did he strongly condemn the violence, or did he suggest it was faked?

Did he say that Gaddafi must follow the will of his people, or did he say that Gaddafi should take his own decisions?

Did he say that democratic governance is the fountain from which everything else – human rights, free elections, freedom of speech – will flow, or did he say that Libyans are problematic because their religion preaches ‘vindication’ while ‘ours preaches forgiveness’?

Another frigging fibber, and this time he fibs all over offical EU Commission stationery. No wonder people like Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando (not to be trusted, not to be believed, now completely beyond the pale) see him as their ‘father confessor’.

Disgusting.




47 Comments Comment

  1. p dimech says:

    Lollipop jonqsu, is- Sur Dalli

  2. M Fenech says:

    Hemm xi cans li jerga’ jibdilu meta qal li ser jerga’ jikkontesta l-elezzjoni? Forsi hemm xi hadd jipperswadih; bi ftit pressure malajr ibbidel dak li jkun qal, bhal f’dal-kas.

    Tal-Pieta, please note.

  3. ta' sapienza says:

    Tal-misthija.

  4. Harry Purdie says:

    Still digging. Creepy.

    • Another John says:

      Truly shocking. Not that this is news but grim reminders like this one are unfortunately necessary. And then, we have Gaddafi apologists amongst us in Malta, and even to the extent that that shameless and insane KMB recommends mediation. How can there ever be mediation at this stage, after so many killings.

    • La Redoute says:

      Kellu b’xiex jitkaza ukoll, Joe Grima fuq Xarabank, wara li kien ftahar li fi zmienu Gaddafi kien ihallsilna childrens’ allowance.

      • ciccio2011 says:

        Jien nahseb li din li Gaddafi kien ihallsilna c-childrens allowance qalha ghax Mintoff ma jistghax jirrispondih. Tal-Lejbour kienu jghidu li Mintoff kien itina c-childrens allowance.

      • P Shaw says:

        I watched Xarabank today. I could not believe the sheer hypocrisy – Grima tried, reluctantly, to side with the Libyans. He thinks that he can wipe off his history of submissiveness to Gaddafi by muttering a few statements (which obviously he did not mean) very late in the day. His own body language deceived him.

        I could not stand his hysterical attempt to dismiss Gonzi’s credibility by mentioning his dear Joseph whenever one of the audience thanked the Gonzi administration for the work and the public statements.

  5. http://www.di-ve.com/Default.aspx?ID=72&Action=1&NewsId=81192&newscategory=36

    “AD chairman Michael Briguglio added that EU commissioner Catherine Ashton should stop all talks on repatriation of migrants with Libya immediately and suggested that EU Commissioner John Dalli use his well-known contacts in Libya to ask for restraint and respect of basic rights in the country. “

  6. I don’t know your view on Lockerbie, but it was most definitely not carried out by Mr Magrahi (sic) or Libya.

    It was the agreed reprisal afforded to Iran for the deliberate downing of IR655 by the USN Vincennes.

    Initially the attribution was to be to the PFLP GC, but when that became impossible because of the first Gulf War, Libya and hence Malta had to draw the short straw.

    Charles Norrie

    • Another John says:

      What do you mean by:

      “It was the agreed reprisal afforded to Iran for the deliberate downing of IR655 by the USN Vincennes”.

    • A Grech says:

      In your theory Mr Norris you claim that the CIA actually planted and exploded the bomb in agreement with Iran who wanted reprisal. This, frankly, I find to be totally unbelievable. (http://www.adifferentviewonlockerbie.blogspot.com/)

      I find it easier to believe Mustafa Mohamed Abud Al Jeleil that Gaddafi was responsible.

    • willywonka says:

      I don’t know what you’re saying, because one of the main proponents of the Libyan opposition has evidence that Col. Gheddafi ordered the Lockerbie plane bombing.

  7. Grezz says:

    No wonder he comes across as feeling oh-so-at-home on One TV. The guy MUST be a closet Labourite. There’s no other way to interpret his behaviour.

  8. dg says:

    he get’s front coverage in a pro-gaddafi site: http://www.ljbc.net/home.php

  9. Cannot Resist Anymore says:

    Saviour Balzan today, as usual, defends John Dalli.

    He claims that, unlike other Nationalists, John Dalli is not a hypocrite.

    He says poor John Dalli continues saying the same “unacceptable” things about Libya year after year.

    It would have been interesting had Saviour Balzan illuminated us further on this issue.

    Our perception of Dalli is indeed very dismal and it has been for quite a long time now. He statements at the blessed business meeting just unveiled for us that his “core beliefs” come second to his business ones. This statement just proves further that he is a ruthless businessman and I would probably also believe that he used his political platform to further his business interests.

    Our Saviour would have done better had he just condemned John Dalli’s statements outright and stopped there instead of trying to gun down Simon Busuttil and all the other people he has some kind of grouse with.

    [Daphne – It’s now become bloody obvious that Saviour Balzan only feels comfortable championing the inadequate and an assortment of lame ducks (Jeffrey, Robert Musumeci, John Dalli, Joseph Muscat), and has a very special hatred for those individuals who are competent and good at what they do. Look at all those people he hates most and work out the one thing they have in common. His hatred is so extreme that he is even prepared to publish lies and slander to achieve his aims. I have another case against him today (thank you, Saviour – this is going to be FUN) and the lies he has been spreading about Simon Busuttil through his website – the comments were deleted, but not before I took screenshots – are just abominable: that he is ‘a known homosexual’ (you know, like a known criminal or a known maniac – because to these Labour people, being gay is a crime and a perversion) and that his wife left him because she ‘caught him with another man’. How sick can you be? Very, very sick, apparently. Read my lips, all you horrible, horrible vile village snipers and peasants out there: Simon Busuttil is not gay, and his wife did not leave him because she caught him with another man. Kemm tifilhu tkunu morda minn mohhkom? Ja qabda rubbish. Perhaps Saviour is trying to work off his own frustrations and domestic difficulties, given that he is the one who married a ‘known lesbian’ who then decided she was bisexual after all and married him (unless she thought he was a woman with a beard), the grieving, gutted widower, after a whirlwind courtship of around five months. That’s the amazing thing about those sad sacks at Malta Today: they all have such messy, weird lives and then they have the nerve to spread lies about others.]

    • Grezz says:

      Saviour Balzan sounds like one hell of a sour, jealous bitch: physically unattractive, not particularly bright, from a less than scintillating background, not much of an achiever, and not even capable of doing well the one thing in which he has invested all his time and money – his shoddy newspaper. He has one hell of a grudge against society, and hates those who do with perceived ease what he struggles to do and fails. Now that he is almost 50 years old, he should think about having his head examined so that perhaps he might get to know what it’s like to be normal before he leaves this world. But I forget: that sort of behaviour is normal in Malta, isn’t it.

      • El Topo says:

        Try watching one of his videoblogs (ta’ Julia Farrugia has some particularly gripping moments) with the sound turned off. In the space of a few minutes you’ll experience it all; from the hilarious to the sheer horror.

    • Grezz says:

      What was it that Lou Bondi had said about Malta Today last year? That it’s a public vehicle for private envy.

    • P Shaw says:

      Does Saviour Balzan see characteristics of his family hero, Mintoff, in his new revered master, John Dalli? I am becoming more convinced that these two politicians have much more in common, other than personal business interests with Gaddafi’s regime.

    • Ollie says:

      It pays Malta Today to try to put Simon Busuttil in a bad light, because that, to them, probably means a greater chance of John Dalli becoming Gonzi’s successor at the opportune time. Well, ha ha ha to that.

    • willywonka says:

      You know, I agree with most, not all, of what you write here Daph….but John Dalli…a lame duck?!

      I mean call him what you want – corrupt, malicious, devious, ruthless etc.,

      Franky, even the others that you mentioned, can’t be considered as lame ducks either….

      [Daphne – Definitely lame ducks at this stage.]

  10. il-Ginger says:

    Hilarious, miskin what a suck up.
    http://bit.ly/iadRmo

  11. Jonathan says:

    Why is everybody so surprised! It’s the way the PN work today – they say one thing and always mean another! Has his PM ever apologised for all the U turns. The sad thing is that our PM today thanks to theLIBYA stuation is somewhat of a celebrity and wheras before when he attended any international meeting he was nver noticed, today he will be sought after, but not for what he is doing in Malta for the working class or families!

  12. Antoine Vella says:

    All those who were present or watched the video clip know that, in this press release, Dalli is twisting his own words.

    Incidentally, I don’t know why some Maltese journalists who reported Dalli’s interview have not only significantly changed his statements but have put their edited versions in inverted commas, misleading the readers into thinking that these were what Dalli actually said.

    • La Redoute says:

      Are you talking about Nestor Laiviera on Malta Today?

      • Antoine Vella says:

        Mainly yes, but Kurt Sansone did the same thing on The Times.

      • George Mifsud says:

        To ‘red nose’ et al

        Regarding my scribbling on another post. This is exactly what I meant when I mentioned the ‘facets’ of Commissioner Dalli. He thinks nothing of donning different hats to suit different circumstances.

  13. Anthony says:

    Is this an official European Commission press release?

    [Daphne – Yes, on an electronic ‘letterhead’.]

    If so, an urgent public apology by the entire Commission is in order.

    It is a gross insult to the intelligence of members of the European Union and a shameful twisting of facts.

    On the other hand, if it was issued without the prior knowledge of the Commission, it should be disowned forthwith.

    It is even worse than Mistra.

    What a colossal f**k-up.

  14. ciccio2011 says:

    It’s everbody’s fault but mine.

  15. ciccio2011 says:

    “European Commissioner John Dalli has gone on record saying Libyan dictator Col. Muammar Gaddafi should “make his own decisions” when asked whether he should resign in the face of the uprising against his regime.” – Nestor Laiviera, MaltaToday, Friday 4 March 2011

    “The main point I was making regarding Mr Ghaddafi in my personal remarks, strongly condemning any violence, was that Mr Ghaddafi must follow the will of his people.” – John Dalli, Press Release, 6 March 2011

    Which version do you stand by, Mr. Commissioner?

  16. Josephine says:

    Well said, Georg.

    “Georg Sapiano(44 minutes ago)

    It was appropriate for Mr.Dalli to apologise. Unfortunately, he botched it up again. The man seems incapable of opening his mouth without shooting himself in the foot. Regrettably, he damages our country too: Just when Malta’s handling of the Libya crisis definitively severs the perception that the two countries are close, or tied by some umbilical cord from the Mintoff era, the country’s representative in the European Commission reminds the world of that . None of your words were interpreted ‘out of context’ Mr.Dalli, nor was the impression that you were less than willing to stand up for the oppressed in Libya a ‘false’ one. Do the right thing and resign. ”

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110306/local/dalli-clarifies-libya-remarks-says-he-is-fully-behind-barroso-declaration

  17. Matt says:

    I learned a long time ago that everything in life happens for a reason. In hindsight, the best thing that happened to the PN is when John Dalli vacated his seat in Maltese parliament to accept the commissioner position.

    Dalli must have felt a lot of pressure from the EU President and the European media for him to make another wishy-washy statement on the Libyan revolution.

    I wouldn’t be surprised if the European media are looking at Dalli’s business deals with Gaddafi at the moment.

    The shredding machine must be working overtime.

  18. Anthony says:

    I wonder whether the Commissioner for consumer policy and health has seen the latest reportage from Zawiyah on Sky.

    The journalist, Alex Crawford, is one of the world’s most outstanding, capable of reducing any of the pitiful Commisioner’s criticisms to smithereens.

    I suggest he watches it and then hide his head in shame.

  19. Harry Purdie says:

    Jeez, Daphne! At this very moment, Al Jazeera just had KMB on yakking about Malta having its neutrality eroded. Isn’t it time to put this demented asshole in the asylum with the former Chief Justice?

  20. John Schembri says:

    “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing” – let alone leading personalities spreading doubts on the veracity of the horrible news reaching us.

    This is like when Hitler was killing the Jews and the Allies looked the other way.

    With today’s means of communication there can be no excuses that we didn’t know. Now we know what is/was happening in Libya.

    • Interested Bystander says:

      Gonzi needs to act. He must tell Gaddafi that he has crossed the line and then he must show some true leadership. Is he capable or what?

      • John Schembri says:

        In my opinion, our PM does not need to state bold public utterances. We’ll leave that to the big guys.

  21. Interested Bystander says:

    Do the PL folk, who presumably see you as a PN mouthpiece, get confused when you attack prominent Nationalists? It must do their heads in.

  22. Interested Bystander says:

    http://churnalism.com/

    Let’s see who is or isn’t.

  23. Anthony Farrugia says:

    “Looks like somebody’s put a gun to his head – too bad he’s as graceless as can be expected”

    And John Dalli pulled the trigger.

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