Brussels (Brussels Morning) – Members of the EU health committee raise concerns about Malta’s nominee, Chris Fearne, for European commissioner, facing criminal charges linked to a hospital deal, jeopardizing his candidacy.
Members of the European Parliament’s health committee have challenged the nomination of Maltese Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne for the position of European commissioner after it emerged he will meet criminal charges in link with a deal for three hospitals.
According to Politico, Fearne, who has rejected wrongdoing, was considered a frontrunner to substitute Stella Kyriakides as health commissioner after the EU election. He was Europe’s longest-serving health minister until he was pushed into a different position in January, and persists to lead in global health discussions. Last year he headed the World Health Assembly, and he is vice-chair of the Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance.
Are Criminal Charges a Barrier for Chris Fearne’s Nomination?
To drive it into the College of Commissioners as health commissioner, however, Fearne would need to be endorsed by both the Parliament’s Environment and Health Committee (ENVI) and the Council. After a judicial document indicated that Fearne would face charges of forgery and misappropriation in a snowballing case, MEPs urged the ex-health minister’s nomination could now be in trouble.
Are MEPs Concerned About Fearne’s Criminal Allegations?
“The European Parliament holds high standards when it comes to Commissioner-designates’ approval,” Cyrus Engerer, a Maltese MEP from Fearne’s Labour Party, said. “Past decisions prove this.” In 2019 the Parliament denied French President Emmanuel Macron’s initial pick for commissioner, Sylvie Goulard, over moral concerns. MEPs were also denied nominations by Hungary and Romania due to alleged conflicts of interest. Engerer won’t be on the committee to push the call; he announced last month he will not race in the European election in June.
On Wednesday, he stated on Facebook that he had not accepted any official court summons, and therefore could not comment more on the case. “I can only say that I have always, always served my duty with the utmost correctness and integrity, and I have certainly never strayed towards violating the law,” Fearne wrote. He added that the Auditor General also stated this in three reports on the case, in which Fearne heeded that “the dismissal of the Minister of Health from any significant involvement on the progress of this concession directly related to public health.”
Are MEPs Hesitant to Back Fearne Amid Criminal Accusations?”
Malta’s Engerer wasn’t the only MEP on the ENVI committee to present concerns. Slovenian MEP Irena Joveva, was more straightforward when asked whether Fearne’s designation should go ahead.“The answer is quite simple — no. Although I am a firm believer in European justice systems and everyone’s right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, there should be a prerequisite for everyone considered for any type of political position not to be facing any type of investigative process,” Joveva said.
Grace O’Sullivan, an Irish MEP from the Greens and a member of ENVI, said it was “very difficult to see how a potential nominee facing serious criminal charges could be supported.”
Another Irish MEP on ENVI, Billy Kelleher, and a member of Renew stated he would not vote for Fearne if he was still facing criminal charges. “Being charged with criminal activity is unbecoming of a potential European Commissioner. I don’t believe the Maltese government should be nominating such a person to a very important role,” Kelleher stated.
Does Fearne’s Legal Situation Raise Doubts Among MEPs?
One health minister who previously supported Fearne for health commissioner is now backtracking. Estonian Health Minister Riina Sikkut said on Wednesday she had previously supported him for the role because of his “substantial prior experience” in managing health crises and employing effectively at the international level. “Ultimately, the appointment of the EU Health Commissioner is a decision for the European Parliament, which will conduct thorough hearings. Today’s revelations regarding the corruption scandal certainly cast a shadow over the prospects of any implicated candidates.”
