Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1165935
14 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 15 SEPTEMBER 2019 NEWS IT'S not a bad deal for Helena Dalli as she prepares for a five- year stint in Brussels as Malta's next European Commissioner. Apart from a substantial pay rise, Dalli has been assigned the equality portfolio that fits in perfectly with her political pro- file and experience. The former equality minister's transition to the Berlaymont building will represent a con- tinuation of the work she has carried out in Malta over the past six years. European Commission Presi- dent-elect Ursula von der Ley- en steered clear of presenting Dalli with a poisoned chalice. A draft list seen by MaltaTo- day had originally linked Dalli to the justice portfolio that would have raised eyebrows in the European Parliament. Instead, the equality portfolio was hived off from justice and given greater standing in von der Leyen's commission. The German chief of the Brussels executive wants to lay greater emphasis on equality and gen- der balance in the new legisla- ture, and it will be up to Dalli to deliver. A perfect fit Dalli represented a perfect fit, given the work she put in since 2013 to transform Malta from European laggard to top of the Rainbow Index for LGBTIQ rights, the transposition of the Istanbul Convention dealing with gender-based violence, and the emphasis on equality in other legislative initiatives. A Labour Party veteran, Dalli, who will be 57 at the end of this month, was appointed civil lib- erties minister after the 2013 election. A year later she piloted the ground-breaking civil unions law that for the first time gave gay couples the possibility to have their union recognised by the State, allowing them also to adopt children. This was followed with marriage equal- ity legislation shortly after the 2017 election. The past few years have been one hell of a ride for Dalli as she piloted the Labour govern- ment's reformist agenda. She pushed forward legisla- tion that banned harmful gay conversion therapies – mak- ing Malta the first European country to do so – fully trans- posed the Istanbul Convention against gender-based violence, and piloted the introduction of a maternity fund to which all employers contribute. After the 2017 election, Dalli's portfolio was renamed equal- ity and included the added re- sponsibility of European Affairs minister, giving her greater vis- ibility in the corridors of Brus- sels. Dalli will now be preparing herself for the grilling at the hands of MEPs. Confirmation hearings for each commission- er-designate will start on 30 September and end on 8 Octo- ber. Given the portfolio she has been assigned and the high level of competence Dalli has in the field, it is unlikely she will face insurmountable difficulties. She is also untainted by scan- dal despite forming part of a government that has had its fair share of controversies to deal with. Dalli's name is not being men- tioned as one of the vulnerable commissioner candidates, a source in Brussels said. Several other candidates, in- cluding the French and Roma- nian nominees, are subject to investigations in their home country or at an EU level. "There will be very hard ques- tions for some who are being investigated by national au- thorities and this diverts the at- tention from Helena Dalli and other candidates," the source said. Greens likely to make most noise Another source close to the European Parliament told Mal- taToday that the Greens will likely "make the most noise" during these hearings because they have "nothing to lose". The Greens are the fourth largest group in the European Parliament, with just one com- missioner-designate coming from their political family. Dalli could face some un- comfortable questions on the absence of abortion in Malta, the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, and the Labour govern- ment's track record on the rule of law. The Greens are likely to bring up these issues – key exponents like Sven Giegold were at the forefront of rule of law mis- sions from the EP, in the wake of Caruana Galizia's murder. But it is not excluded that in- dividual MEPs from the Euro- pean People's Party and Renew Europe (the liberals) will ask Dalli about the Panama Papers involvement of Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri. Nationalist Party leader Adri- an Delia has pledged his party's support for Dalli's nomination, and MEPs Roberta Metsola and David Casa told MaltaToday last week they will back her nomination. Metsola and Casa, vocal crit- ics of the Muscat administra- tion in the EP, are scheduled to meet Dalli ahead of the hear- ings. "The PN support for Helena Dalli's nomination makes a difference because this means the European People's Party is bound to support her nomina- tion," the sources said. However, yesterday Casa in- troduced a condition on sup- port, saying on Facebook that Dalli couldn't hope to secure the post if she continued to close an eye to alleged wrong- doing by Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi and the Prime Minister's chief of staff Keith Schembri. "It is futile of this government to claim that it will address defi- ciencies in our money launder- ing system whilst keeping Kon- rad Mizzi and Keith Schembri Helena Dalli appears to be in the safe zone ahead of her grilling at the hands of MEPs but the commissioner-designate may face some uncomfortable questions, KURT SANSONE reports Helena Dalli's EU forecast: Sunshine, turning cloudy at times Meet the new boss: Commission president and former German defence minister Ursula von der Leyen David Casa (right) introduced a condition on support, saying on Facebook that Helena Dalli (above) couldn't hope to secure the post if she continued to close an eye to alleged wrongdoing by Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi and the Prime Minister's chief of staff Keith Schembri