PM to meet Prodi over EU commissioner

The issue of who will be Malta's first EU commissioner is expected to be discussed at a meeting between European Commission president Romano Prodi and Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami.

Mr Prodi is meeting the leaders of the 10 new member states individually to review the enlargement preparations and to finalise the list of new commissioners.

It is understood that the meeting with Dr Fenech Adami will take place over the coming weeks, possibly early next year in Brussels.

In October, Dr Fenech Adami told The Times he had not yet approached anyone for the post of commissioner.

The most likely candidate remains Foreign Minister Joe Borg. Others being mentioned are Finance Minister John Dalli, who is also being mentioned as a possible replacement for Dr Borg if the latter is nominated for the post; Richard Cachia Caruana, who is also being mentioned for the post of permanent representative; and Michael Frendo, who may be a Nationalist candidate for the European parliament elections in June.

Mr Prodi has already met Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Medgyessy, Slovenian Prime Minister Anton Rop and Slovak Premier Mikulas Dzurinda. On December 10, Mr Prodi is to meet Czech Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla.

Mr Prodi has to finalise the list of prospective commissioners by the end of February to enable the European parliament to conduct hearings. The new commissioners will stay in office until the end of the current Commission's term in October, 2004.

In Mr Prodi's opinion, the new enlarged Commission should include at least three women among the 10 new commissioners. The current commission already has five female members.