Tonio Borg

Tonio Borg (born 12 May 1957) is a Maltese politician who was the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy replacing John Dalli as member of the College of the European Commission in the second Barroso Commission.[1] Borg is ultra-conservative and a Roman Catholic.[2][3]

Tonio Borg
European Commissioner for Health
In office
1 July 2013 – 1 November 2014
PresidentJosé Manuel Barroso
Preceded byHimself (Health and Consumer Policy)
Succeeded byVytenis Andriukaitis (Health and Food Safety)
European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy
In office
28 November 2012 – 1 July 2013
PresidentJosé Manuel Barroso
Preceded byMaroš Šefčovič (Acting)
Succeeded byHimself (Health)
Neven Mimica (Consumer Protection)
Deputy Prime Minister of Malta
In office
23 March 2004 – 28 November 2012
Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi
Preceded byLawrence Gonzi
Succeeded bySimon Busuttil
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
12 March 2008 – 28 November 2012
Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi
Preceded byMichael Frendo
Succeeded byFrancis Zammit Dimech
Minister of Justice
In office
15 April 2003 – 12 March 2008
Prime MinisterEddie Fenech Adami
Lawrence Gonzi
Preceded byAustin Gatt
Succeeded byCarmelo Mifsud Bonnici
Minister of Home Affairs
In office
8 September 1998 – 12 March 2008
Prime MinisterEddie Fenech Adami
Lawrence Gonzi
Preceded byAlfred Sant
Succeeded byCarmelo Mifsud Bonnici
In office
17 April 1995 – 28 October 1996
Prime MinisterEddie Fenech Adami
Preceded byLouis Galea
Succeeded byAlfred Sant
Personal details
Born (1957-05-12) 12 May 1957
Floriana, Malta
Political partyNationalist Party
Spouse(s)Adele Galea
Children3
Alma materUniversity of Malta

Education and career

Borg studied law at the University of Malta. As a university student he was active in the Maltese Christian Democrat Student organisation(SDM-Studenti Demokristjani Maltin) and a member of the University Students' Council. He was also a member of the youth section of the Nationalist Party holding various posts including that of President and Secretary General.

Borg graduated as a Doctor in Laws in 1979. He was called to the bar in 1980, practicing law for fifteen years, specialising in human rights cases. Between 1990 and 1995 he served as member of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture.

Borg holds the post of senior lecturer in public law at the University of Malta. In 2018 he graduated Ph.D in Law from the University of Malta He was also a Director of Mid-Med Bank (now HSBC Bank Malta) between 1987 and 1992.

Maltese politics

Borg was first elected to the House of Representatives in the 1992 general election in the interest of the Nationalist Party. During this period as a backbencher he was also member of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (1992–95), board member of the Maltese Planning Authority (1992–95) and member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee between the European and Maltese parliaments (1992–95).

He was appointed Minister of Home Affairs in April 1995, serving until October 1996 when his Party was voted out of office in the general election of that year. In opposition, Borg was appointed Party Spokesman for Home Affairs from October 1996 to September 1998 and again a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee between the European and Maltese parliaments (1996–98).

Following his party's victory at the 1998 general election, Borg returned to his previous post as Minister of Home Affairs. This portfolio included, amongst other things, local government, environment and urban planning and management of state properties. He was also responsible for immigration at the time when a large number of irregular migrants started arriving by boat from Libya.[4]

Justice was added to Borg's portfolio in April 2003, following his Party's second electoral success in that year's election. When Lawrence Gonzi succeeded Edward Fenech Adami as Prime Minister and Party Leader, Borg successfully contested the post of Deputy Leader of the Nationalist Party in March 2004. In light of this he also became Deputy Prime Minister, while remaining Minister of Justice and Home Affairs. Borg also served as Leader of the House of Representatives at that time.

In March 2008, following the Nationalist Party's third electoral success, Borg was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister.[5] He was also reconfirmed as Leader of the House of Representatives, a post he held until 6 January 2012. Following the resignation of his successor, he re-assumed the post of Leader of the House of Representatives later that year.

In view of his appointment as European Commissioner, Borg resigned his post of Deputy Leader of the Party, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and as a Member of Parliament.

Political views

Borg's political views have been described as Christian Democratic inspired by Catholic social teaching. He had proposed to entrench into the Maltese Constitution the sections of the law banning abortion (already a criminal offence in Malta).[6]

In Parliament, he voted against the introduction of a divorce law, despite it being upheld in a consultative referendum. Borg also spoke out in 2009 against including cohabiting couples (either heterosexual or homosexual) as beneficiaries to legislation enacted around the time of the Second World War intended to protect tenants during the housing shortage of the time.[7][8]

Nomination of European Commissioner

European Humanist Association

During Dr. Tonio Borg's nominee for commisioner, fr the president of the European Humanist Association said: “We believe that this candidacy is clearly damaging for Europe and seriously concerning for the quality of health services enjoyed by those millions of European citizens. There are serious doubts as to whether Mr Tonio Borg shares this commitment. As Minister of Justice in Malta, he repeatedly and vigorously opposed women’s sexual and reproductive rights and even campaigned in 2004 to constitutionalize the abortion ban in his home country. In 2011, he also strongly opposed the legalisation of divorce in Malta. In addition, he has openly expressed contempt for the LGBT community and opposed the recognition of the rights of homosexual co-habiting couples in the Maltese Parliament in 2009. Finally, as Home Affairs Minister, he clearly failed to protect the rights of illegal migrants.”[9]

European Parliament Intergroup

During Dr. Tonio Borg' nominee to become commission the European Parliament Intergroup speaking on behalf of ILGA (an LGBT advocacy group) has said “Tonio Borg’s views on abortion, homosexuality and divorce are staunchly conservative and outdated. While not necessarily on topics of EU competence, he views his strong opinions as ‘issues of conscience’, which would prevent him from being an impartial commissioner especially with the public health portfolio.”[9][10]

European Commissioner

Following the resignation of John Dalli as European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Affairs, the Maltese Government nominated Borg for the post. Borg's nomination was the cause of some controversy due to his political views and he was subject to some tough questioning during his hearing by the Members of the European Parliament. However, the Parliament still voted for his appointment on 21 November and he was formally appointed to the post by the European Council. Borg was sworn in as European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Affairs on November 28, 2012.

References
  1. "Official: Tonio Borg nominated European Commissioner - to stay on as minister until confirmation process is concluded". Times of Malta.
  2. "European Humanist Federation - Opposing Tonio Borg's nomination as EU Commissioner". humanistfederation.eu.
  3. http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/topics/oppositionwatch/TonioBorgFactsheet.asp
  4. Joseph St. John, Martha Delicata, Mario Azzopardi, "The Organisation of Asylum and Migration Policies in Malta", National Report 2008 of the National Contact Point of the European Migration Network, Malta, p.11
  5. "New Cabinet sworn in", Times of Malta, March 12, 2008.
  6. "Plans for abortion law to be entrenched in Constitution". Times of Malta. May 7, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  7. Malta Star, 19 October 2012
  8. Malta Star, 25 October 2012
  9. http://www.maltastar.com/dart/20121113-atheists-abortionists-gays-in-smear-campaign-against-tonio-borg
  10. "Swedish vicar-MEP dubs commissioner-designate Tonio Borg 'dinosaur'". MaltaToday.com.mt.

Media related to Tonio Borg at Wikimedia Commons

Political offices
Political offices
Preceded by
Louis Galea		 Minister of Home Affairs
1995–1996		 Succeeded by
Alfred Sant
Preceded by
Alfred Sant		 Minister of Home Affairs
1998–2008		 Succeeded by
Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici
Preceded by
Austin Gatt		 Minister of Justice
2003–2008
Preceded by
Lawrence Gonzi		 Deputy Prime Minister of Malta
2004–2012		 Succeeded by
Simon Busuttil
Preceded by
Michael Frendo		 Minister of Foreign Affairs
2008–2012		 Succeeded by
Francis Zammit Dimech
Preceded by
John Dalli		 Maltese European Commissioner
2012–2014		 Succeeded by
Karmenu Vella
Preceded by
Maroš Šefčovič
Acting		 European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy
2012–2013		 Succeeded by
Himself
as European Commissioner for Health
Succeeded by
Neven Mimica
as European Commissioner for Consumer Protection
Preceded by
Himself
as European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy		 European Commissioner for Health
2013–2014		 Succeeded by
Vytenis Andriukaitis
as European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety
Party political offices
Preceded by
Lawrence Gonzi		 Deputy Leader of the Nationalist Party
2004–2012		 Succeeded by
Simon Busuttil
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