European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants Malta to change its nominee for the post European Commissioner, the Times of Malta reports.
Glenn Micallef, Malta's nominee, had stepped down as Prime Minister Robert Abela's head of secretariat last May.
The newspaper quotes Brussels sources as saying that von der Leyen suggested keeping Helena Dalli, Malta's current EU Commissioner, on for a second term. It also reports that the EU Commission President has asked at a minimum two other countries to swap their nominees.
The Times of Malta said that Micallef declined to speculate, saying: "The process for appointment of commissioners is ongoing and, as expected, talks are taking place with member states (...) Continued constructive engagement with the president-elect of the European Commission is imperative to help deliver the priorities for the next mandate."
Abela, when nominating Micallef, had said that he is a technocratic person, "and in these past four years I have seen his competence on a European level. He was there when our country negotiated the biggest package in the multi-annual financial framework in 2020."
"He has served as my Sherpa throughout these four years, and he has political experience as he served as the Chief of my Secretariat," the Prime Minister had said at the time.
It also refers to government sources as saying that Micallef's omission, if Dalli is out of the picture, could pave way for two other possible candidates - Malta's Permanent Representative to the EU Marlene Bonnici or Minister Miriam Dalli,
The Malta Independent sent questions to the Office of the Prime Minister, asking whether there has been any communication from the EU Commission President's office regarding Von der Leyen wanting Malta to change its nominee for the EU Commission post, and if yes, whether the government will be proposing someone else.
A spokesperson for the Office of the Prime Minister simply replied: "The engagement process is always ongoing and the President would speak to member states."