Comments on: Il-Guy says: “They have to back me because I am not politically controversial”

By: AE

AE — Fri, 04 Apr 2014 23:12:08 +0000

Let’s also stop repeating the myth that Karmenu Vella was a good tourism minister. He never really did anything at all.

Not in ’96, not now.

All he did was not rock the boat and let his ministry bear the fruit of the work done by his predecessor.

If this is what is meant when they say he was a good tourism minister, then fine. Otherwise it certainly is not for some revolutionary earth shattering policy that he introduced.

Hard work is not really up Karmenu Vella’s street. Nor is being a leader. He is not known as Il-Guy for nothing. He just likes to be liked and you don’t get done what needs to be done when all you care about is being liked by everyone.

I get the feeling that he would rather not have to deal with the responsibility of being a Minister. As EU Commissioner he probably thinks that with the huge team he can have around him he not have to do anything at all.

By: ciccio

ciccio — Fri, 04 Apr 2014 16:39:09 +0000

In reply to Carmelo Micallef. Exactly.

By: ciccio

ciccio — Fri, 04 Apr 2014 15:48:08 +0000

Jo must have someone else lined up to become Malta’s next EU Commissioner this October.

There is one hell of a hot summer between here and the October grilling, and before then, the local politicians and the media would already have roasted il-Guy on their BBQs, metaphorically speaking of course.

It could be that Jo will propose that there will be a second term of the incumbent. By that I mean John “Ich bin immer noch EU Kommissar” Dalli.

http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/medizin/john-dalli-im-interview-ueber-seinen-ruecktritt-und-den-skandal-a-954517.html

By: Evarist Saliba

Evarist Saliba — Fri, 04 Apr 2014 15:12:11 +0000

If I were Simon Busuttil, I would abstain on, and not vote against, the nomination of Karmenu Vella for the post of an EU Commissioner on the basis that the Prime Minister did not have the decency to consult him before he made this nomination public.
As for what follows, I have a suspicion that Karmenu Vella has been thrown into the EU gladiatorial arena, to face a very doubtful outcome.

By: Sue

Sue — Fri, 04 Apr 2014 06:56:17 +0000

I honestly think that Il-Guy was also given the boot, and his nomination as EU Commissioner was Jo’s only option to keep the ‘guy’ quiet.

Most certainly it was neither necessary for Jo to announce this nomination so early in the day, nor was it necessary for Vella to leave his ministerial post now.

He could have actually stayed on until the grilling process is over and confirmed as EU Commissioner.

Karmenu Vella was fired, and nobody noticed.

By: canon

canon — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 23:53:08 +0000

It is not true that Joseph Muscat is proud with Karmenu Vella’s nomination as the next EU Commissiner.

If it were so, Muscat knows what he had to do to garner support for Vella. Instead Muscat went on twitter to announce Vella’s nomination without any consultation to make sure that the Nationalists will be against it.

By: PA

PA — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 21:16:08 +0000

The PN already “supported” Merilwiess who also came from those terrible Mintoff and KMB years, but at least one might argue that appointment is “supposed to be” only a figureheard in Malta (although she will represent Malta oveseas too, of course, and God help us there).

But it definitely cannot accept thie EU Comminsioner one, for the precise reasons you gave.

By: Nik

Nik — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 20:46:52 +0000

10 years ago Rocco Buttiglione was rejected as Italy’s nominee to the European Commission because of his views on homosexuality. Karmenu Vella has been heard to speak publicly about his strong personal opposition to civil unions and gay adoption. This was less than a year ago.

By: curious

curious — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 20:43:46 +0000

Whose idea was it that Karmenu Vella will be the next EU Commissioner? Is he happy about it and did Jo discuss the nomination with him? I am asking because there are rumours.

Karmenu Vella would do well to answer these questions and assure us that he wants the post before jumping the gun and expect others to back him.

By: canon

canon — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 20:06:12 +0000

It’s unbelievable how certain people do not know their limits.