Malta has nominated its foreign minister to replace the EU’s top health official after the previous one resigned amid allegations he sought to sell his influence to the tobacco industry.
Foreign Minister Tonio Borg, who is also deputy prime minister, has been tapped to replace fellow Maltese national John Dalli as EU health and consumer commissioner, Malta’s government said in a statement late Saturday.
Borg said on TV he would travel to Brussels to hold talks Monday with EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, who he said will make the final decision on the post.
Borg said he would immediately resign as deputy leader of the Nationalist Party in government but remain on as foreign minister until his nomination is concluded.
In a scandal that has rocked the EU executive, Dalli was forced to resign last week after he was cited in an influence peddling probe into a lobbyist who had allegedly offered to try to sway the commissioner in return for cash.
Tobacco producer Swedish Match later claimed it was offered the chance to pay 60 million euros ($78 million) to thwart new EU tobacco legislation.
Dalli denies wrongdoing and says the tobacco lobby has framed him because he was working to introduce tough new anti-smoking rules.
Malta names new EU commissioner after scandal
